Shadows of the Light
by jsaint33
Summary: A sequel to Night of the Apprentice, this tells the tale of Ahsoka Tano as she falls deeper into the Dark Side of the Force, set in an alternate universe following the Season two finale of Rebels Twilight of the Apprentice and preceding Season Three. Just an early warning, this story will be very dark for most of it as Ahsoka will be extremely evil before a redemption arc.
1. Ascendant

Darth Vader had done well in corrupting Ahsoka Tano to the Dark Side. Despite leaving the Jedi Order fourteen years ago she had retained all of the training she had learned as Skywalker's apprentice. If any of Skywalker had remained in Vader he would have been proud of her. But he knew of the Togruta anger. He had seen it many times in her during their missions together. Yoda had hoped that assigning Ahsoka to Anakin would calm him, teach him to learn to let go. This was a difficulty for the prophesied chosen one as he had joined the Jedi after an unexpected situation brought Qui-Gon Jinn to his home planet of Tatooine. Anakin had left his mother behind to see the Galaxy and returned to see her die at the hands of the Tusken Raiders. But his human anger paled in comparison to that of the Togruta. He had been afraid to lose everything, he lost his mother, he refused to lose his wife. But in the end it was his fear of loss that took him down the Dark path. As such when he encountered his former apprentice on Malachor, despite joining the Rebellion she too had lost everything when she was accused of murder and expelled from the Order. Even after being acquitted and reinstated she had still chosen to leave. Thusly her corruption and fall had been Vader's finest achievement since slaughtering the Jedi at the Temple. He had used her compassion for who he used to be to begin turning her to his side. He had even gone so far as to use Barriss' betrayal of her to incite her rage. He had been successful as he witnessed Ahsoka's eyes darken from her natural blue to the yellow and red of the Sith. When he concluded their battle with her defeat she was kneeling before him. Her anger and hatred radiated off of her like a destructive sandstorm. In that moment Ahsoka Tano had been destroyed, a new Sith rising from the ashes; christened as Lady Jadia.

Months passed as Jadia trained under the spirit of the Sith Lady of the Temple. She had mastered Force lightning and reconstructed her lightsabers with crimson crystals. Her powers continued to increase and eventually she was able to use them to decimate the spirit. In the aftermath of the spirit's destruction Darth Vader returned to assess the progress of his Apprentice. She had shed everything the Jedi had taught her and embraced the Sith way as he had expected. She slaughtered his three remaining Inquisitors when he sent them to her. And her greatest achievement in her new life had been infiltrating the Rebel ship, betraying her former comrades and bringing the Sith holocron into their possession along with the Padawan Ezra Bridger. Jadia and her Master had traveled the Galaxy since the events where she proved her status as a Sith apprentice. Together they eliminated Rebels they came across and crushed the spirit of Rebellion from planets that were attempting to rise against the Empire. Through it all this was an attempt to get Ezra to unleash his anger, to succumb to his own rage and take his first steps on the path to the Dark Side. But he was strong in the Force and even being tortured with Force lightning at the hands of Jadia did nothing. Vader knew that the boy would rather die than join the Dark Side so he had decided to take more drastic measures. Knowing that he couldn't keep Jadia secret from his Master for long, it was time to take her and their prisoner to Coruscant. As he set course for Imperial Center, Jadia entered the cabin dressed in her newly acquired Sith robes. Her garb was similar in appearance to the clothing she had worn as a Padawan, but more form fitting and as with all Sith who came before her, they were black, the only color being blood red striping that started at her waist and extended down her pants to her boots.

"Master, Ezra is stubbornly clinging to his Jedi teaching. If he will not be turned, you should allow me to kill him."

"Patience; my Apprentice. As you said, the boy is a foolish child. He has no way of contacting his Rebel friends. And where we are going he will not be able to withstand the power of the Dark Side. If he does not turn, he will die."

"Where are we going; Master?"

"To the Imperial Capitol. The Emperor has long waited for the death of Ahsoka Tano and he will be most pleased to learn of her fate."

A flare of excitement surged through Jadia at that moment. After months of training to become a Sith, she was finally going to meet the Emperor. She had met Palpatine in her previous life, but had never suspected that he was secretly out to destroy the Jedi who had betrayed her and her Master. He had ended the war and brought a stable Empire out of a corrupt Republic, solidifying his hold on the Galaxy. He had been the one to send Darth Vader to wipe out the Separatists. She knew there was much she could learn from him in her quest for greater power. Her Master had felt her excitement and startled her when he spoke again.

"Remember Jadia, you are to address him as Emperor Palpatine. The Imperial Senate still has no knowledge of his true identity as Darth Sidious."

A sinister smile crossed Jadia's lips as she learned of this revelation. She now knew she had made the right choice in abandoning the Jedi Order. They had grown weak and complacent as Lord Vader had said if they could not see the Sith Lord in their presence plotting to destroy them. Only a true Master of the Force could so easily hide himself in plain sight for thirteen years. While the shuttle banked towards the Industrial district she focused on the lessons she would soon be learning from the two most powerful Force wielders in the Galaxy. She only abandoned her thoughts when the shuttle had landed and she could see the Emperor waiting for them. As Lord Vader's apprentice she followed him down the ramp, kneeling before Palpatine as her Master did.

"Rise, Lord Vader. I am most anxious to hear of your success."

"The holocron has been retrieved, my Master. The Rebellion and the Jedi will not be able to use the Sith secrets to destroy us."

"Excellent and what of Skywalker's apprentice? Has she been dealt with?"

"She will no longer be a threat to us, Master. Ahsoka Tano is dead."

"Good, you have done well, my Apprentice."

Palpatine steps forward and sees as well as senses the woman still kneeling. Her force signature is one he is well acquainted with and a snarl immediately crosses his features as he immobilizes Vader with his own powers.

"You have deceived me Lord Vader. If Ahsoka Tano is truly dead, then why does she kneel here before me?"

Through their force bond, Jadia could feel the life ebbing away from her Master. Even if Palpatine was Darth Sidious and the power behind the fall of the Jedi, she wasn't going to let him kill her Master. Lord Vader had shown her the true power of the Dark Side, granted her the chance at revenge against the Jedi. If he died, she knew Palpatine would have no use for her. She was quickly on her feet, her robe flying open as she retrieved and activated her lightsabers. Her eyes were burning with a feral hatred as she charged the Emperor. Palpatine didn't even look her way as he extended his other hand out and stopped her in place.

"A foolish attack on your part; Jedi. I see now the plan you have Lord Vader, While I would have expected you to rise against me, as is the Sith way, to involve Skywalker's apprentice is the height of stupidity. Perhaps you are not as committed to the Dark Side as you would have me believe."

Palpatine's words were accompanied by a disdainful sneer. He didn't even bother to glance Jadia's way. If he had, he would have seen the crimson blades she was wielding in her attempts to protect her Master. In the Emperor's eyes, she was beneath him, and to prove his power, slowly closed his hand into a fist. This small movement was enough to begin crushing the life out of her. Darth Vader watched as he was still immobilized, but as his apprentice had done, he would not let her die. Centering himself on his own abilities, he fought back against his Master and took a slow step forward, then another. Palpatine was only slightly surprised at this and increased his hold. Vader was again stopped in place, but buried deep in his memories were the words: Chosen one. With that memory he centered himself on the Force, and again took another step forward. Inwardly the Emperor was pleased with the rage he could feel emanating from Vader. But he continued to snarl while continuing to crush Jadia. Her eyes were wide with fear as her life continued to flow away from her, and she could only watch as her Master continued forward, the pain, anger and hatred etched on her face. When she could feel her spirit becoming one with the Force, a timely word from Lord Vader made Palpatine pause.

"Master, see her for who she is. Ahsoka Tano IS dead. The battle I had with her was destined for these past fourteen years. There is nothing left of Skywalker's apprentice. She has embraced a larger view of the Force. As you have instructed me, I have instructed her."

Palpatine did turn his gaze towards the Togruta woman he still had locked in his grasp. Though his attack had ceased, he wasn't going to release her so easily. In her eyes he saw her anger, her hatred. But more than that, he felt the Dark Side flowing through her. He could sense her memories and the first lesson she had learned from his apprentice. The words were not spoken aloud, but the Sith code was being repeated in her mind as if it was running on a holographic recording being played as if the emitter was broken. The code gave her power as she held onto her life force that had been slipping away. Finally, he opened his hand and the pressure around her ceased. Jadia fell to her knees, her lightsabers long since deactivated, and attempted to catch her breath. She only barely heard her Master speak through the feeling of wind rushing through her ears.

"As I have said, Master. Ahsoka Tano is no longer a threat to our power. She has become far more than the Jedi would ever have allowed her to be. The Rebellion's greatest asset is now ours. With her by my side, we can locate and eliminate the Rebellion wherever they flee to. Lady Jadia, rise."

Jadia slowly stands up, her body still radiating the dark energy of the Force. For the first time Palpatine actually sees her as she is now. He remembers Ahsoka Tano, and sees nothing of the irritating Padawan she was. Her orange skin had taken on a slightly darker hue, it was closer to red now; the markings on her Montrals were now more black in color than the blue they had been. And when a vicious smile graced her lips, her teeth were sharper than that of a normal Togruta. With this, Palpatine knew Lord Vader was correct. Ahsoka Tano no longer existed and the Empire had the perfect weapon against the Rebel Alliance.

"Kneel, Lady Jadia."

She does this without question, bowing down before the Emperor. Though he had tried to kill her, she was still newly Sith and in the absence of her Master; she would have to obey him.

"The Sith code, recite it."

"Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me."

"Excellent, the Empire is your home now, Lady Jadia. There is great power in you; the Dark Side has made you stronger. But your loyalty to the Empire must yet still be tested."

"I will do whatever you ask, my Emperor."

"Good, soon you will hunt down and slaughter the Rebels you were once friends with. First, I must have the boy, Ezra Bridger. I could sense him opening our holocron. He would be a great asset."

"Ezra Bridger is already our prisoner, my Lord. He was foolish to fight Lord Vader on Malachor, and even more foolish to believe he could control the power of the Dark Side. But he will not turn. My Master and I have already attempted to bring him to the Sith way."

"Have you? If he resisted the both of you, he is more powerful than I had thought. Bring him to me, and I will turn him to the Dark Side."

Palpatine's Stormtroopers are directed into the shuttle where they can retrieve Ezra. Shortly thereafter he is led down the ramp surrounded by six troopers with his hands bound. He knows that he is walking into certain death, but he remains impassive, showing none of the fear he is feeling. When he and the troopers are out of sight inside Palpatine's Citadel, the Emperor turns back towards Vader and Jadia.

"He will turn or he will die. However, I have a mission for the both of you. Lord Vader, you are to return to the Death Star. Construction is not proceeding as fast as I commanded. You will put them back on schedule."

"As you wish, Master. And what of Lady Jadia. An apprentice's place is at her Master's side."

"Indeed, but she must prove her full loyalty."

"The crew of the Ghost, my Lord? Are you sending me to hunt them down so soon?"

"Not yet, Lady Jadia. I have a far more important task for you to begin with. There is a planet that has been courted by the Rebel Alliance. The Senator has fought back, but he is in a losing battle. He is loyal to the Empire but the residents of this planet have begun staging attacks against my army. It is a bold move for them, and this preemptive rebellion must be crushed."

"What planet is this? What would you have me do?"

"The planet is Onderon. The rebels there are being led by someone you may be familiar with. His name is Lux Bonteri. You will join the crew of an Imperial Star Destroyer. They will be under your command. Take them to reinforce the garrison. Annihilate the rebels, subjugate the planet. If you succeed, you will have proven your loyalty. I trust that this will not be a problem for you, Lady Jadia."

"Onderon will fall, my Lord."

Palpatine called for the Captain of a Star Destroyer and informed him of the situation. When she knew which ship to report to, he dismissed her. After another bow to her Masters, Jadia took her leave. When they were sure she was gone, the Sith Lord gave his apprentice his actual orders.

"You will follow her to Onderon, Lord Vader. But do not let her know that you are there."

"What of the Death Star, my Master?"

"Governor Tarkin can proceed without you for now. I want proof that Lady Jadia has fully turned to the Dark Side, and that she will complete her mission. If she fails, you will kill her."

"I have faith in her Master. Jadia will not fail. She brought us the holocron and the Padawan. She killed my last three Inquisitors in battle. She was betrayed by the Jedi just as we were. The Dark Side is her path now."

"Are you certain?"

Vader believed Jadia had truly embraced the Dark Side. He had faith and trust in her that she would do whatever was necessary to further the goals of the Empire and the Sith. But this mission the Emperor had sent her on, when they were Anakin and Ahsoka; he had noticed her attraction to Lux. But he couldn't speak up to admonish her about attachments, not with his own situation with Padme. As such, though he doesn't voice his opinion, he also remembers that this same Lux Bonteri had a romantic interest in one of the leaders of the insurgents against the Separatists on Onderon. This would be a test for Jadia, and he would be there to witness the success he knew she was capable of. With a bow to Palpatine, he turned and departed for his shuttle. With his apprentice gone, the Emperor spoke to himself, knowing that his plans were well underway.

"All of the pieces are falling into place. I have the holocron, I have the last Padawan. Soon the Sith Empire will rise again, and nothing will stand in my way."

As he turned to enter his Citadel, Palpatine felt a familiar presence through the Force. When he was inside, he found his soldiers dead, and Ezra and the holocron gone. Only one person was capable of this and he knew who it was from Darth Vader's report on Malachor.

"Maul has returned."


	2. Onderon

The Captain of the Star Destroyer had been less than pleased at the Emperor's command. He and many of his crew had once been part of the Republic fleet and still proudly served the Senate. They had all heard how the Jedi had betrayed the Galactic Republic and felt better for not having this religious order around to admonish them against the evils of war. But when he heard that Lord Vader's Apprentice would be taking command of his ship, he was furious. From the moment she first walked onto his ship he was certainly going to remind her that he didn't need her there and the Imperial Navy had the hunt for the Rebels well under control. But that was before he looked into her piercing eyes. As Jadia strode forward she exuded a seductiveness that had the Captain speechless. Her movements were graceful, and even though she was a Togruta and not human, the entire crew found her to be the most beautiful woman in existence. She had them falling all over themselves to please her.

"Lady Jadia, I am honored to have you aboard my ship. If there is anything my crew and I can do to make our trip to Onderon more comfortable, please let us know."

Jadia had seduced the entire crew simply by stepping onto the bridge. She was pleased that she had learned the power of seduction from the ancient Sith lady on Malachor. But unlike with the last Brother, she didn't have to force the power nearly as much. If these men were so easily controlled, she would have no difficulties with Lux. When the Captain cleared his throat, she realized he had been waiting for an answer from her. Focusing her voice into a husky tone, she acknowledged the question.

"You can provide me with quarters to begin with Captain."

"Of course, Milady…"

"And then you can acquire a ship that is not part of the Imperial fleet for my trip to Onderon. I would not wish to alert the rebels to our presence preemptively."

"But the Emperor gave me orders to…"

"To take me to Onderon. I must go alone at first. When I give the signal, my Stormtroopers will land on the planet. And you will wait for any Rebels attempting to escape. Is that clear?"

Jadia placed a sharp fingernail under the Captain's chin, forcing him to look directly into her eyes again. When she had his full attention, she ran her tongue over her teeth and then her lips. He was still fawning all over her and could only nod in agreement since becoming at a loss for words.

"Good, and one other thing, I need different clothing. It would not do for me to land on the planet in my Sith robes. Lux Bonteri must believe that I am Ahsoka Tano. Even if only for a little while, until I kill him and crush his rebellion."

Jadia turned with a flourish, her robe flowing with her movement and she swayed her hips as she walked towards the viewport of the ship. As she watched the stars pass by at light-speed, the Captain was instructing his second in command to find any quarters available for their honored guest. Twenty minutes passed until they had her living quarters located. The Captain insisted on escorting her himself so he could spend as much time in her presence as possible. After surveying the room, Jadia sneered in disgust, turning towards her escort with anger in her eyes.

"This is the best you can do for an Apprentice of Emperor Palpatine? This is sickening to me Captain. I am a Sith and these quarters are insulting to me. You can have this room, and I will take yours. Take me there."

"As you wish, Milady."

The room they turned away from was small and drab. There was a small bed and nothing for Jadia to see if she wanted to. She didn't say it aloud, but it reminded her of the simplicity of her room at the Jedi temple. Jedi knights and their apprentices were allowed only the simplest of possessions. There was to be nothing in those rooms that could cause distractions or attachments. They were allowed nothing that interfered with their training and studies of the Force. She wasn't a Padawan anymore and such a small room was beneath her new station in life. When they reached the other room, the Captain entered his code and the door slid open. These quarters were much more to Jadia's tastes. The room was opulent if a little on the plain side. But she could make the room into whatever she wanted it to be for the interim. As she prepared to meditate, she removed her robe and levitated it over to the gigantic bed. It was only then that her companion chose to speak again.

"I see my quarters are to your liking Milady. If there is anything else…"

"You mean my quarters Captain. You may leave now."

Jadia glared at him with a dangerous look in her eyes. He was again left without words and gulped air in fear as he closed his mouth, before quickly turning away to complete her other commands. Now alone again, the Sith Lady began to meditate on her past with Lux and the first rebellion on Onderon.

"Lux was always headstrong and determined to enter the political arena. But it wasn't those desires that incite my anger at him. He ignored my feelings in favor of Steela. I never should have tried to save her. If I hadn't; Lux and I could have been together. My friendship with him was a mistake. He was first a Separatist and then joined the Republic. He betrayed his own principles and betrayed me. Mercy is not something I will afford him."

Through the rest of the journey, Jadia focused less on her meditations and more on her vengeance. She continuously felt empowered by her anger, seeing only victory as the outcome of the impending battle. Her focus was so intense that she nearly lashed out with Force lightning when the voice of the Captain interrupted her thoughts.

"Next time you want to enter my quarters you will request permission first, Captain. What do you want."

"I only came to bring you the clothing you requested Milady."

Jadia quickly assessed the garb he had brought. The clothing was well worn in many places and looked as if it had been worn by a rebel woman recently. Ahsoka would have wondered what had happened to the woman, but Jadia couldn't bring herself to care.

"This clothing is ragged and filthy."

"I can find something else if you…"

"NO. It will serve the purpose I need it for. Bonteri will believe that I am Ahsoka and will accept me easily. I will gain his trust and then destroy him. Now, what of the ship."

"We were fortunate to detect a single pilot cargo vessel as we exited hyper-space. It is an older vessel and its engines did not possess enough power to escape our tractor beam."

"Excellent, and the pilot?"

"In our custody. These were some of her clothes we found in a locker. She put up a small amount of resistance when we brought her aboard. But she was easily subdued."

"She had better not be permanently damaged, Captain. If she is, you will be the first to die. Take me to her."

Jadia followed the Captain to the detention level shortly after changing into her new clothing. She then dismissed him to the bridge only to report back when they were within twelve parsecs of Onderon. Before actually entering her prisoner's cell, she altered her appearance through the Force to make the woman feel more at ease. However, when she entered the cell, there was a clear look of defiance on the woman's face, as well as a few bruises. The woman was human, much to Jadia's surprise.

"Whoever you are, whatever you want, if you're going to kill me, get it over with."

"I'm not here to kill you. Why would you even think that?"

"For starters, we're on an Imperial Star Destroyer. You're wearing some of my clothes, and I'm locked up in the detention level. I took a wild guess."

"What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you? I don't even know you."

"Okay, let's start with something else, did the Stormtroopers give you those bruises?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. They are a little on edge lately. The Rebellion has…"

"I don't have anything to do with the Rebellion against the Empire! I'm just a cargo pilot trying to make my way! All I have left is the ship that my father left me when he died!"

"I didn't say you had anything to do with the Rebellion. And I am truly sorry you were injured by the troopers. Don't worry, they'll be punished."

"I still don't believe you. You're on an Imperial ship, how do I know you're not going to hurt me?"

"Because I could have done it already if I had wanted to. Not everyone who is a part of the Empire wants to hurt and kill people. We just want a safe Galaxy. My name is Jadia Sol. I'm an Admiral, this is my ship."

"You're Togruta, and a woman. The Empire doesn't grant alien women positions such as yours."

"True, they didn't used to. But my record couldn't be ignored. I was a Commander and pilot for the Republic before the Jedi tried to overthrow the Supreme Chancellor. When he reorganized the Republic into the Empire I was allowed to retain my position, then I rose through the ranks."

The woman could see only honesty in Jadia's eyes. And she knew that she could have been hurt or killed at any moment. But the Togruta didn't make any hostile moves, she just sat there on the bench across from her.

"Naasha."

"I'm sorry?"

"Naasha Celchu. That's my name."

"I'm glad to meet you Naasha. Come on, let's get you cleaned up. I have a medical droid who can help you."

"They're just bruises. I'll be fine. But tell me something, why are you wearing my clothes?"

"Because I'm on my way to infiltrate a Rebel cell. I needed something that could help me blend in on their planet."

"You're not going to kill them; are you?"

"I don't want to. I just want to know their motivations. The Empire doesn't have to be their enemy. They don't realize it yet, but if we can at least have some peaceful negotiations we'll all be better off. Emperor Palpatine just wants stability in the Galaxy. He did eliminate the corruption of the Republic."

"Some say Palpatine's a butcher. He's murdered innocent people."

"Not because he wanted too. But we can discuss this later, I'll take you to my quarters where you can use the fresher and I may have some clothes that will fit you, considering yours fit me well enough."

Naasha was still wary of Jadia, but she still hadn't attempted to cause her any harm. But her need for a good shower and some clean clothing outweighed her distrust. She silently followed Jadia towards her quarters where she could get cleaned up. She was immediately surprised at the simple extravagance of the room, and found it refreshing that the Empire apparently cared quite a bit for the Officers.

"The fresher is through there, and there's a closet with some of my extra clothes. Take your time, and then if you're willing, we could talk about a more permanent position for you aboard my ship."

"You've been too kind, Jadia. But I'm just a cargo pilot. I'm actually anxious to be on my way."

"If you wish, you are free to leave. I know you don't trust me, but in truth I don't trust these men who crew my ship. Greedy, power hungry soldiers, all of them. It would be nice to have another female presence on board."

"And what if they decided to hurt me again, or worse?"

"It won't happen. I can assure you of that. If you'll excuse me, I need to go deal with the troopers who assaulted you."

Naasha entered the refresher as Jadia pretended to leave her quarters. When the other woman was out of sight, the Sith Lady masked her presence inside the bedroom and began infiltrating her guest's mind. She could tell that the woman had no Force sensitivity so swaying her towards staying would be a simple task. Through Naasha's memories, Jadia could tell that her father had died rather suddenly, but she wasn't there on the day he died. With a subtle twist she altered Naasha's memory to include a faceless rebel shooting her father without provocation. It was an easy enough alteration and she was pleased when she heard the woman scream in horror from inside the fresher. Jadia had her beginning to believe that the Rebellion was evil. A few moments later Naasha stepped out of the fresher wrapped in a towel with tears still cascading down her face. She sat on the bed trying to compose herself when the door opened and Jadia stepped back in, though she had never actually left.

"Naasha, I want you to know that the Stormtroopers who hurt you have…what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"No you're not. When I left you seemed like you were finally relaxing. I can see how tense you are, you're shaking. And those are tears I see, I can tell. Come on, tell me what's wrong."

For a few moments Naasha works to calm her breathing. As her tears start to dry and her body stops shaking she works up the nerve to speak.

"I…I wasn't there the day my father died. I only got a message from my sister. I guess I blocked out the memory because I couldn't remember what the message said."

"So you don't even know how he died?"

"I…"

"It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it…"

"Something triggered my memory. I remember what happened now. My sister had settled down, didn't want the life of a cargo pilot. So while she got the house in Cloud City, I got the ship. Dad was just returning from a cargo run for an old friend who had moved to Corellia. My sister told me he had been sitting in a bar discussing this last run and how the money he had made from it would allow him to retire. On his way home he must have been confronted by a rebel. Everything after that it is still kind of hazy. But he was accused of being an Imperial pilot delivering information on the Rebels plans and their movements. He was…was…"

Naasha begins to break down in tears again; she tries but can't contain them. In an uncharacteristic move, Jadia sits down next to her and wraps a comforting arm around the other woman's shoulders. She knows she's playing Naasha to get what she wants, but she still can't make herself care.

"Go on…it's okay."

"The rebel shot my father without any of the facts. My Dad was murdered in cold blood for nothing."

Jadia could feel the anger pooling in Naasha. The younger woman was quickly filling with rage at the memory of her father's murder and the Sith Lady fed on it. She was so close to getting Naasha to commit to the Empire that she just needed to give her one more push.

"You know Naasha; this cruel murder doesn't have to go unpunished. You can still leave if you want. Neither I nor my men will stop you."

"You really have been so kind to me Jadia. I'm still not sure I can trust you, but there is one thing that will go a long way towards earning my trust."

"Name it. If it's my power, I'll do whatever I can."

"I want revenge on the Rebellion for my father's death. I want to find the rebel who killed him and make him suffer the way my sister and I have suffered."

"I can make that happen. So you're not leaving?"

"No. I'm going to stay, I want to join the Empire, join your crew. I'm not only an excellent pilot; I'm fairly capable when it comes to a fight. My sister was the one who always wanted to settle down, she was the responsible one. I was the wild one. Always off exploring, getting into fights in my youth. I could be…,"

"You're going to be my right hand. And I promise you, we will find the rebel responsible for your father's murder. But if word gets out that you have a sister, they could threaten her to get to you."

"How do we stop that?"

"I have my ways. You said she lives on Cloud City? In the Bespin system?"

"Yes."

"What's her name?"

"Jaina Celchu-Antilles."

"Okay, I can have one of my spies go into Cloud City and erase all records of you from her files. But you should contact her as well; let her know you won't be seeing her for a while. Cargo runs are keeping you busy. I'll even set up an account where you can send her credits to keep her and her family safe."

"I'll miss her, but it's a small price to pay for my vengeance."

"Good, now let's get you dressed. I have a spare uniform that will fit you perfectly. You'll need to be formally introduced to my crew."

A few moments later Naasha was dressed in a black imperial uniform. She had pulled her dark brown hair into a neatly tied bun. When she and Jadia were prepared to leave the room for the bridge, the door slid open to reveal the Captain.

"Milady, we have just entered the Japrael system. We are currently orbiting at twelve parsecs from Onderon. The cargo ship is ready for departure."

"My ship?"

"Yes, I apologize Naasha; I had meant to tell you I would need your ship as well. I hope it won't be an inconvenience."

"Of course not Jadia, my ship is yours to use as long as you need it."

"Excuse me, Milady. But this woman is a prisoner. Why is she…?"

"She is now my right hand aboard this vessel Captain. If I am not on board, you are in charge of the crew, but you will report to her. Any orders she issues should be obeyed without question as if they come from me."

"That's not how enlistment in the Empire…"

A threatening glare from Jadia cut the Captain off mid-sentence. Both women then pushed their way past him to depart for the bridge. He could only follow in submission as he knew the Emperor would be displeased if he defied any direct orders from his Apprentice. After giving her orders to the crew and introducing Commander Naasha Celchu, the Sith lady made her way towards the hangar bay. The cargo ship had simple controls that she learned easily. She could only hope infiltrating Lux's rebels would be as simple as everything else she had done so far. When she landed on the planet, she acted as a refugee from a planet that had been acquired by the Empire. None of the Imperials stationed on Onderon knew of her yet so it was easy for her to move around. But she also needed something that would get the Rebel's attention. In a bold move, she had brought Naasha's blaster with her and immediately fired at a Stormtrooper. He went down and she was instantly surrounded by the rest of the troopers.

"Who are you? Killing a Stormtrooper is punishable by death."

"It's not like you haven't killed innocents! A Stormtrooper killed my family for nothing!"

"Be quiet; Togruta. You are under arrest for murder. Take her away."

Jadia's actions and screams had the desired effect as a group of ragged looking men and women came running to assist her. In fifteen minutes the troopers were all dead, and she was blindfolded to be taken to the rebel stronghold. When they arrived, they sat her in a chair and bound her hands to the back of it. It was only after she was secured that they removed the blindfold.

"Gutsy move killing a Stormtrooper out in the open like that. You have a death wish or something?"

"The Empire killed my family, my friends. Can you blame me for wanting revenge?"

"All of us have lost someone we care about to the Empire. But you jeopardized our entire mission here. So far we've been able to keep them from finding us, what's to stop us from throwing you back to them?"

"Because I can help you with your fight. I'm a former Jedi and you could use some better training, I can help with that."

"Jedi aren't welcome. There's even a reward for turning one in. So again, what's the benefit for us keeping you here?"

"I'm looking for Lux Bonteri. I heard he's leading the Rebellion of Onderon."

"How do you know that, and how do you know Lux?"

"He and I are old friends."

"Prove it."

"Fine, my name is Ahsoka…"

"Tano. I do know her. Let her go."

Lux had been standing in the shadows of the room. Jadia hadn't known he was there, but he could see every detail on her face. He didn't recognize her at first, as she was older than the last time he had seen her. But her blue eyes and the sound of her voice gave him the proof he needed. When he stepped into the dim lighting, Jadia barely recognized him as well. He had grown taller in addition to growing a beard. Even the scar on the right side of his face was a surprise.

"It's been a long time Lux."

"Twelve years since the last time we met here on Onderon; Ahsoka. Time really does change people."

"You have no idea."


	3. Reconnecting

Lux wasn't sure what to think or say after Ahsoka was brought to see him. The short greeting between them didn't even feel natural to him. Twelve years had passed since she had helped liberate Onderon from the Separatists. She had gone against her mandate and gotten involved far beyond just training the rebels. Even though they had been good friends, that fact didn't stop an awkward silence from settling in. The silence was only broken after what seemed like hours when Lux spoke again.

"So…,"

"So…,"

"Guess I should start with the obvious, Ahsoka. I thought you were dead."

"Humph, by all accounts I should have been. How much do you know?"

"Just rumors really. There was talk of a Jedi uprising, that the Order had betrayed the Chancellor and wanted to take over the Republic."

"Do you believe that?"

"I still believe there was quite a lot I didn't know about the Jedi Order, but I don't believe any of them were capable of overthrowing the Republic. They were keepers of the peace."

"Yes, we were."

"So what did happen?"

"I don't know. I had left the Order after being accused of murder. I was expelled. Anakin helped catch the real murderer. Barriss had betrayed us all. Even when I was proven innocent, I couldn't stay."

"So that's how you survived the Jedi kill order. You went into exile."

"Order 66, yes. But I didn't exactly hide. I spent years assisting the Rebel Alliance under a secret identity. But enough about me, what happened to you? The last time I saw you; you took up the position of Senator from Onderon."

"Basically the same thing that happened to you. The Empire, those of us who were loyal to the Republic saw that the Chancellor had betrayed the very ideals that kept the Galaxy safe. Rumor even had it that he was behind it all, starting back with the blockade of Naboo. When he named himself Emperor, he began reorganizing the Senate. Those of us loyal to the old way were expelled, and replaced with Senators loyal to him. That's how I began leading my own rebellion again."

"But let me ask you something, though he's done some questionable things, is the Emperor really all that bad? He's reunited the Senate, he ended the war. Couldn't it be better to negotiate with him than start another war?"

"Ahsoka, are you okay?"

"Of course, why?"

"No offense, but you're sounding like the Separatist I used to be."

"Now why would I be offended by that? It was just a hypothetical question. I guess I'm just tired of the endless fighting. The war got me expelled, made me lose the only home and family I'd ever known."

"But you've been working with the Rebellion for fourteen years."

"To stop the more extreme members of the Empire, some of them take their control of the Galaxy to frightening levels."

"No doubt, look Ahsoka, you've obviously been through a lot these past years. I can't begin to imagine what it's been like for you. If you want out of the war, you can stay here…"

Jadia was barely listening to Lux; she had to admire his tenacity and desire for a better way. But she knew she still had a mission to accomplish. She had come to Onderon to kill him and crush the Rebellion, but now she had decided to change her plans. The feelings she had had for him in the past had her making a bold move. While he continued to speak, she moved to sit directly on his lap, straddling him. He stopped talking about rebellion for a moment to question her.

"Ahsoka, what are you doing?"

"Something I've wanted to do for a long time now."

Jadia pushed Lux further back into his chair as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When she had him sufficiently restrained, a dangerous glimmer appeared in her eyes as she leaned forward, locking her lips against his. She kissed him with all the passion she had been holding back, and his eyes went wide with shock at the feeling. In that same moment, the door to his office slid open revealing his second in command, but she quickly stepped away after witnessing the scene playing out before her. After the door slid closed again, Lux managed to push Jadia away. He was trying to catch his breath as she licked her lips seductively.

"That was well worth the wait."

"What was that?! Ahsoka, what's gotten into you?"

"Don't be so obtuse, Lux. You had to know that I had feelings for you. I just couldn't act on them."

"And you still can't. Ahsoka, you're a Jedi. Attachments are forbidden."

"The Jedi Order doesn't exist anymore. Now there's nothing holding me back from being with the one person in the Galaxy who I've always loved."

"Now I know there's something wrong with you. You knew I was interested in Steela."

"Steela's dead Lux. Don't you think it's time you get over her and move on? Think about it, you're here, I'm here. We can be together and help the Rebellion. There's nothing to keep us apart now."

"Ahsoka I…, I'm not sure what to…,"

"Don't say anything. Just think about it."

Jadia pressed a finger to his lips to stop him talking. In their moment of silence her communicator beeped, alerting her to an important message. She knew who the message was from and it was time for her to enact part two of her mission on Onderon.

"I have to take this. I'll be back later Lux. Think about my offer."

Jadia walked away, swaying her hips to hopefully entice Lux into being with her. When she was outside of the Rebel compound she masked her presence from the Stormtroopers patrolling the streets as she opened her message.

"Jadia, the Emperor has made contact. He was displeased that you did not respond directly, but I advised him of the situation. He is appreciative of you convincing me of the evils of the Rebellion and allowed for my position as your second in command. He also asked me to inform you that the Imperial garrison on Onderon has been informed of your identity and presence. He commands that you meet with them immediately. Commander Naasha Celchu, out."

The coordinates for the Imperial compound accompanied the message. Jadia instantly set off in the direction while replaying the events with Lux. She knew that when she returned to the rebel base she would have to feign an apology. Steela had been Ahsoka's friend, and if she came on to strong she would push him away. To successfully seduce Lux and bring him to the Empire's side, she was going to have to be more compassionate. If she failed in this attempt, then she would have to kill him. But she put those thoughts out of her head as she approached the Imperial headquarters. She didn't even realize how long she had been walking until she reached the blast doors. With her access codes, the door slid open, allowing her entry. She was instantly greeted by the base commander as she crossed the threshold.

"Lady Jadia, we are honored by your presence. The Emperor has informed me of your mission and we await your orders."

"Dispense with the formalities Commander. I know about the troubles you are enduring from the Rebels. Just today they killed ten of your men."

"I received no such reports. How do you know this, Milady?"

"If you did not receive the reports, then you are incompetent. As for how I know this, I was there. I was responsible for the death of one Stormtrooper, but my actions did allow me to infiltrate the Rebel compound."

"Then you know where it is located? We can begin a full assault immediately."

"I do have the location as they let me leave. But an assault is not approved at present."

"But Milady…,"

"You have had months to capture and eliminate these rebels; Commander. You and your men have failed at every turn. That is why I am here and have a Star Destroyer stationed within twelve parsecs of the planet. These rebels will fall, but not until I give the order. I have designs for their leader. I hope that I am clear on this."

"Of course, Milady."

"Good, now I must return to their compound. Call your patrols back to the base. I want the enemy to feel they have free reign of the city. When they feel comfortable, it will be easier to strike."

"As you command, Lady Jadia. I will carry out your orders."

The Commander saluted her as she turned away from him, though she let him see her sneer at his face. Jadia despises the men the Emperor has appointed to the command levels, but she still knows she must deal with them. It's why she chose to recruit Naasha through devious means, but her second in command has already proven extremely useful and committed to her in full loyalty. The return walk to the rebel base took less time than the journey to the Imperial base. So when the Sith lady arrived, Lux was still sitting in his office, a confused look on his face. She had no doubts he had been thinking about her offer and the kiss she had unexpectedly given him.

"Ahsoka…"

"You don't have to say anything Lux. I owe you an apology. I was overly harsh when I spoke about Steela. She was my friend too. If I hurt your feelings in any way, it wasn't intentional."

"I know you didn't intend it that way Ahsoka. It might have been harsh, but you've seen things out there that I can only imagine. My fight against the Empire is no less important than yours, but mine has also been on a smaller scale."

"But you're still fighting. It's honorable to defend your home planet. If this was Shili; I'd be doing the same thing."

"I know you would. As such, while you were gone, I talked it over with my team, and we'd be honored to have you fight by our side. But, we do need to talk about that kiss."

"I don't regret it. Twelve years I've been waiting to tell you how I feel. And before you say anything, yes I thought I had gotten over you. But when I was assigned this mission to come here, it reminded me of how well we worked together. It was when I heard that you were leading this team; all my feelings started welling back up inside of me. You probably think I'm a silly girl, holding onto a crush that…"

"I don't think you're silly at all; Ahsoka. You can't help who you fall in love with. And you were correct before, I'll always care for Steela, that's why I'm fighting. To honor her memory, what she fought for."

Jadia turned her gaze towards the floor. In pretending to be Ahsoka, she had to act disappointed that Lux was again rebuffing her feelings. As she was about to stand up to leave, he came and sat in the chair next to her, gently placing a hand on top of hers. This small action caused her to look up, a slight hint of hope in her eyes.

"Ahsoka, I'm not saying there isn't a chance we can't have a relationship. I'm saying we should take it slow. I know you care about me, and I care about you. Let's help Onderon and then we can talk about us."

"Then that's a start."

Jadia takes a glance over at the chronometer on the wall behind Lux and takes note of the hour. She hadn't meant to keep him talking so long without beginning to convince him that the Empire was the better way, but she did easily slip into the persona of Ahsoka. If her plan was going to work she would have to adopt a different method. Stifling a yawn, she stood up to leave; realizing that she didn't have a place to sleep, and it was too late for her to return to Naasha's ship. Thankfully Lux spoke up again with an idea.

"You're not leaving already, are you? You just got here. If you need a place to stay, there's an empty room next to my quarters."

"It was a long flight here, and I am exhausted. My ship doesn't exactly have the room I need to sleep comfortably."

"Then it's settled. You can stay here for the night, and tomorrow we can get to creating a plan to defeat the Imperials."

Jadia nodded in agreement while stifling another yawn. If she had disagreed Lux would have just tried another way to convince her to stay so he led her out of his office towards the rear of the compound where his quarters were. They passed his room, heading directly for the empty one. It was plain, and not quite as large as her quarters on the Star Destroyer, but it would do for the night.

"Well, I'll let you get settled in. If you need anything…"

"You're right next door, I know. Thank you for this; Lux."

"It's my pleasure Ahsoka. Good night."

Jadia settled in to the bed and instead of sleeping; prepared to meditate. Stretching out with her senses, she could feel Lux falling asleep. His belief in the Rebellion sickened her, and she knew she had to get him to change his viewpoint. Naasha's change had been with a simple manipulation of a memory. Lux was going to be more difficult to win over, and as she thought about it, she rested her head against the pillow, and came up with an idea that would begin her plan. When she sensed that he had fallen into a deep enough sleep, she began tossing and turning in the bed, eventually falling into a screaming fit as if she was in the throes of a nightmare. She knew that her acting had the desired effect when she felt Lux scrambling out of his bed, and rushing out of his door. In an instant; he was by her side, shaking her shoulder in an attempt to wake her.

"Ahsoka! Ahsoka; wake up!"

When his shaking of her body got to the point it was almost violent, she sat bolt upright in the bed. Her eyes flying open from her feigned sleeping, darting around the room with a wild terror. Lux had pulled his hand back almost immediately when she sat up, and she then sat there, wrapping her arms tight around her body in an attempt to alleviate her tremors.

"Ahsoka, are you alright?"

"I…I don't know. I've never…, never had a nightmare that bad before."

"I thought Jedi didn't have nightmares."

"Don't make fun of me Lux."

"I wasn't. I'm sorry if it sounded that way. I just thought the meditations helped with your emotions, your sleep cycles."

"For the human Jedi, they do. At least that's what Master Obi-Wan said. For Togruta, our minds work somewhat differently."

"Well…do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm already starting to forget what it was about. Wait…if I woke you, tell me I didn't wake up the entire compound."

"No, our quarters are far enough to the back that the other rebels wouldn't have heard you. Are you going to be okay?"

"I just need some time to catch my breath, but I think so."

"Well, I guess I'll just…,"

"Lux, will you stay with me? It will help me sleep, keep the nightmares at bay, please?"

Jadia's tone was one of terror. Lux had moved towards the door when she caught his hand and pulled him back. He could see fear in her eyes as if she was left alone, the nightmares would come back. He couldn't say no to her, and allowed her to pull him back into the bed. When he was settled in, Jadia snuggled in closer, resting her head on his chest. He was uncomfortable with the contact at first, but soon relaxed and didn't resist when she took his arm and wrapped it around her waist. Soon enough, she could sense that he had resumed a deep sleep and began projecting herself into his mind.

"Lux, there doesn't have to be a war for Onderon. The Empire just wants peace in the Galaxy. It doesn't have to be Rebels vs. Imperials. Can't we just negotiate with them? The Galaxy is big enough for both factions."

She spent the whole night with Lux, feeding his thoughts with her own. It was the first night so she didn't want to push too hard in convincing him the Rebellion was evil. She had to take her time, work up to that. When they woke the next morning, both of them opened their eyes, well rested and ready to start the day.

"Morning Lux."

"Good morning Ahsoka. I guess you slept better with me here. I didn't feel you thrashing from a nightmare at all."

"I did sleep better. You must have had a calming effect on me. Did you dream?"

"I don't know. But I do kind of feel like my mind was working on overdrive. In fact, I had a thought."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Actually, I do. We've both seen a lot of war in our lives. Probably more than we should have."

"That's true. So…,"

"Why do we still have to be at war? I'm probably thinking crazy, but why can't we try and negotiate with the Imperial garrison here on Onderon. It would prevent a lot of bloodshed and death."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Lux Bonteri? The Lux I know was all about freeing his planet from the Separatists."

"It's me Ahsoka. I guess I'm just thinking a little more clearly. Mom always used to believe that Separatists and the Republic could coexist. I believed that just like she did. If Dooku hadn't…,"

"Things may have worked out differently. It won't be an easy task to negotiate with the Empire. There's been too much pain on both sides."

"Are you saying you're against it?"

"No, I'm for it. I'd like to see a return to a Galaxy where children don't have to grow up in fear. We were forced into a life of action and war. I don't want to see that happen to the next generations."

"I don't either. But my team may not be as interested in this idea as we are. I think I should discuss it with them, before we make any rash decisions."

"You really are becoming more and more like your mother every day. No time to waste then. Why don't you do that, I've got something to take care of out in the city. I should go check on my ship, you know make sure it hasn't been torn apart by scavengers."

"I don't think that's a likely scenario, but if you really feel you need too. I'll see you back here in an hour?"

"Sure, it shouldn't take longer than that."

"I can send one of…,"

"No, keep your team here. I'll be fine. It might be difficult to convince them to negotiate though."

"Perhaps, but if negotiations will stop the killing, we have to try."

Jadia allowed for a small smile to grace her lips as she went to change into the clothes Lux had acquired for her. She hadn't even known he'd done this, but she pretended to be grateful for his forethought. Before he left her quarters to take on the unenviable task of trying to convince his fellow rebels of his idea, he gently took her hand again, pressing a small kiss to the back. As she was leaving the compound, she passed by several of the rebels. She had thought some of them might try to stop her or potentially follow her, but none of them made moves to do so. As she departed, she could hear their thoughts and knew Lux had described to them everything he knew about Ahsoka Tano. These thoughts she intercepted filled her with sadistic glee for when the time came that she would betray them all, turning them over to the Empire with Lux by her side. When she was clear of the compound, she turned towards the Imperial garrison to reveal the details of her plan. Upon her arrival she was once again met by the base commander.

"Lady Jadia, welcome back. We have been expecting you."

"Excellent, assemble your senior officers; Commander. We have much to discuss."

Twenty minutes passed as she waited in the conference room for the men. They all began arriving, and though she was annoyed at their lateness, she put that aside for the time being. Getting her plan on the table was far more important than the lack of respect the Officers were showing her.

"Gentlemen, as you are all aware, Emperor Palpatine has sent me here to destroy the Onderon rebels. This is a task you have all failed in spectacularly. As such, I have directly infiltrated the Rebel base and gained their leader's confidence. Even now, Lux Bonteri is attempting to convince his team to negotiate with us. I have no doubts that he will be met with intense resistance from them."

"Of course he will. None of us want to negotiate with Rebel scum. Why would they be any different?"

"Because when I return to the Rebel base, I will convince them that you only want peace. That there will be a cease fire between both parties."

"I don't even think you are capable of that Lady Jadia. And don't try to frighten me with your devotion to the Force. This war will be won by a military strike and only a mili…,"

Jadia cut the officer off with a deadly glare while raising one hand towards him. She was Force choking him to keep him quiet and only went so far as to render him unconscious. When he was out cold, she continued speaking.

"Lux Bonteri is already attempting to convince his team of negotiating a cease fire. The negotiations will take place in one week's time. Over the course of this week, I will be working to convince Bonteri of the evil the Rebellion represents."

"He is idealistic and still young, Milady. How will you do this?"

"The same way I convinced him to consider a negotiation. I've been inside his mind, controlling his thoughts. I can do this with all of the Rebels. When I've finished with them, they will be at each other's throats. By the time they realize what I've done, Lux Bonteri will have committed himself and joined the Empire. He will lead a squadron of Stormtroopers to arrest them."

"So what do you need us to do, Milady?"

"I will be mediating the negotiations as Ahsoka Tano. You and your men will act as if you have never met me Commander. Onderon is just the first step on the path to the destruction of the Rebellion."


	4. Negotiations

When Jadia arrived back at the Rebel compound an hour later she was surprised to see the argument occurring directly in front of her eyes. Her meeting with the Imperials had gone better than what she was witnessing. More importantly she heard Ahsoka's name being shouted around the conference table multiple times.

"We know that Ahsoka is your friend Lux, but are you insane? Negotiating with the Imperials, how can you possibly think that's a good idea?"

"Aren't you all tired of this war? We've been fighting since the Separatists controlled Onderon! Ahsoka made a good point, if we can end this war without bloodshed, we should try! How many more children have to die because we can't learn to coexist?"

"You've lost your mind Lux. Ahsoka Tano disappeared for years, and now she just shows up out of nowhere? Okay, she was a Jedi and fought bravely for the Republic. But this idea of hers, she of all people should know it's the height of insanity to think the Empire would negotiate anything. All they want is to see the Rebellion crushed!"

"You forget, she's been out there fighting for the Rebellion! She's saved more worlds than we could ever hope to. She thinks it's a good idea, and I for one, agree with her."

"You can agree with her all you want, but we don't trust her."

Jadia had yet to make her presence known, choosing instead to let the Rebels argue amongst themselves. She's only been on Onderon for two days and hasn't even bothered to learn the names of Lux's companions. She only knows one of them and he happens to be Saw Gerrera. She doesn't even really care who the rest are, all they are to her is an obstacle to gaining Lux as an ally and bringing him into the Empire. But inwardly, she's pleased that her plan is already falling into place. The Rebels are falling apart before her eyes, and she finally speaks before those assembled come to blows.

"Excuse me. I know what you're all thinking, and a few years ago I would have agreed with you, negotiating with the Empire would have been the very definition of insanity."

Everyone fell silent when they heard her voice. Jadia slowly walked forward and took a place at the table. As she looked around, embarrassed eyes all looked down, not wanting to meet her inquisitive gaze. She let her words sink in for a moment before speaking again.

"I don't blame any of you for not trusting me. I'm not asking you to. But why do we have war? Because people don't do what they should have always done from the beginning. They should just sit down and talk! The war between the Republic and the Separatists was represented by a failure to listen. Even this war which is just the exact same war, is all because of a failure to listen. And until we learn to listen to each other, nothing will ever change. You know who I learned that from? Padme Amidala."

Every rebel present had heard of Padme Amidala. She was the Queen of Naboo during the blockade by the Trade Federation. Her boldness saved her planet from a far worse fate. Even as a new Senator, she had one of the most respected voices in the Senate. Even her skills at negotiation had prevented more battles than anyone could remember. The silence was stifling for a while until Lux's second in command spoke up.

"I can't speak for everyone, but I still think this attempt to negotiate with the Imperials is a mistake. However, I will agree that we should try to end this war. If we can do it without bloodshed, we should try. Let's finish this discussion with our original plan. Per Lux's suggestion, we take a vote."

"Alright, all those in favor of attempting to negotiate with the Imperials, raise your hands."

Lux's hand goes up first along with Jadia's. One by one five other hands go up. The decision is almost unanimous, with only one rebel not agreeing to this course of action. Not surprisingly the one who disagrees is Saw. And he makes his point known very loudly.

"This is the worst idea that I've ever heard. Steela didn't join your rebellion for us to roll over for the Separatists. We fought hard for that victory and it cost her life. You keep saying you want to honor what she fought for Lux because you care for her. Rolling over and surrendering to the Empire won't honor her sacrifice. I can't agree with this course of action. If all of you actually think the Empire will negotiate, then you deserve what's coming to you."

Saw left the compound in anger and the others remained sitting there in stunned silence. No one really knew what to say to his outburst, but deciding on the when and where the negotiations would take place had to begin. Again it was Jadia spoke first.

"If this is going to happen, it needs to take place on neutral ground. The negotiations can't take place here, because we don't want the Empire to know the location of the compound. Likewise, this meeting also can't take place at the Imperial base because both locations would be to their advantage, not ours."

"Then that begs the question, where will we meet, and who will mediate this?"

"I think Ahsoka should mediate the negotiations. She's on the outside and has nothing to gain from this."

This wasn't surprising to Jadia that Lux would be the one to make the suggestion. Even the rest of his team agreed, as a former Jedi she had the best chance at keeping the meeting from falling into chaos.

"Wise choice Lux. We also need to be sure you are all protected. Therefore, the negotiations should take place one week from today. Give me some time, and I'll secure the neutral location."

When the meeting adjourned the rebels split up to take care of their daily tasks. They were all gone until long in the afternoon and only returned as night was beginning to fall. Only Lux and Jadia had remained while the others left, and once again, he spent the night with her to keep her nightmares at bay.

"Ahsoka, you don't know how much it means to me to have you here. And volunteering to handle these negotiations, Master Kenobi would be proud of you. I think Master Skywalker would be as well."

Jadia stood up and left the bed at the mention of Anakin. Her reaction instantly worried Lux, and he wondered if he had said something wrong. When she began to pace, he began to feel even more uncomfortable.

"Did I say something wrong? What happened to Anakin?"

"You didn't do anything wrong Lux. Anakin was…he umm…"

"What?"

"I…I can't talk about it. It's just too painful."

"You don't have to talk about it. Whatever happened, you can tell me when you're ready. So come on, come back to bed. I'll stay as long as it takes for you to fall asleep. Let's see if the second night keeps your nightmares at bay."

Jadia climbed back into the bed and took the same position from the night before. Her head was once again resting on Lux's chest but this time he wrapped both of his arms around her. As with the previous night, she waited until she was sure he had fallen into a deep sleep and began assaulting his mind with her own.

"Saw was just the first Lux. He'll come back, and one by one until the negotiations take place, he'll convince the others how bad an idea this is. This is what the Rebels do, what they plan to do to the Empire. Emperor Palpatine just wants to hold the Galaxy together. If the Rebellion wins, everything will fall apart just like when the Separatists were fighting the Republic. They'll all betray you, betray us. But you won't have to worry about that with me, I won't betray you. I'll stand by your side. When the Rebellion does betray you, you'll always have a place with the Empire."

When Jadia pulled back from Lux's mind, she had no idea the effect her mental projections would have on him. His comforting embrace around her fell loose as he began thrashing with his own nightmare. He tossed and turned with the thoughts that were plaguing his dreams. When he sat upright, he startled her into sitting up as well.

"Lux…what's wrong?"

"A nightmare. But it felt so real. I can't…"

"What happened? Talk to me."

"We were here, trying to discuss the first phase of the negotiations. Saw came back, he uh…he convinced the others not to go forward with the meeting."

"It was just a dream. They respect you as their leader. They trust you. I read their minds as we voted. None of them seemed like they would ever betray you. Even Saw will get over his anger eventually."

Jadia leaned her head against Lux's back and peppered gentle kisses up and down his spine. She was doing everything she could to calm him until he turned around to face her, the worry evident in his blue eyes.

"Ahsoka, promise me something."

"Anything."

"If this nightmare does come true, and my friends…"

"It's unlikely that they'll betray you Lux. But I know what you're asking me. If they do, you want to know if I'll stay with you. I can say with certainty that you'll have me by your side if the worst should happen. Now come on, let's try to get some sleep."

As before, Jadia could sense when her companion fell into a deep sleep. This time she left his thoughts alone and a sinister smile graced her lips. The next few nights would be the most critical in her attempts. She had to completely convince Lux that the Empire was his only option and that he should do anything it takes for them to stay together. But those were her nightly attempts, during the day would be a whole different story. Her attempts would have to be amplified ten-fold. His rebel friends had to see him with her at all times, even the both of them going so far as to be late to their meetings to discuss the upcoming negotiations. And when they weren't together, she had to influence the other's minds and convince them that Lux has lost his mind and was considering leaving the Rebellion, joining the Empire and turning them all in. While she finally fell asleep, her Master was still assessing her progress through their bond, even though he had blocked her from feeling his presence. He waited patiently in his shuttle that was still sitting where he had landed it on the outskirts of the main city.

"You are doing well, Jadia. You were faced with little effort in convincing Naasha Celchu to join the Empire as your right hand. And now you are close to having Lux Bonteri betraying the Rebellion and committing to the Empire. I am proud of your progress. I look forward to informing the Emperor that his misgivings about you were misplaced. You are indeed a powerful Sith."

The next morning Jadia and Lux slept later due mostly in part to her keeping him asleep and feeding his dreams with thoughts of them together as a couple. Every time she sent an image of them, he held onto her a little tighter. But while they slept, the Rebels were having their own discussions in regards to Lux and Jadia.

"We need to be wary of Ahsoka Tano, there's something not right about her."

"There are a lot of things not right about her, Annie. The Togruta have always been notoriously unpredictable."

"I'm not disputing that. But you didn't see what I saw, Ben."

"What did you see?"

"I went to talk to Lux, and when his office door opened Ahsoka was sitting on his lap, straddling him and they were in the middle of what seemed to be a passionate kiss."

"Well they are old friends. What's so unsettling about that?"

"What's unsettling about it is that Ahsoka seemed to be the only one enjoying it. Lux looked downright shocked at her actions from the brief glance I got."

"It's been twelve years since they've seen each other. That's not the real cause for concern."

"Then what is?"

"Where does she go? She was given free rein to come and go and as she pleases her first day here. She leaves without saying anything, is gone for hours and then comes back without any explanation."

"I've noticed that too. It might be beneficial for someone to follow her the next time she leaves."

"I'll follow her."

"Ben…"

"What, you can't do it; Annie. You're second in command, and even though it's not like she has gotten to know any of us, I'm the least likely to attract her attention. Besides, if he was here, Saw would insist on this and he'd be spotted right away."

"Alright, fine. Just don't let her see you. I want to know what she's up to so we can…"

At that moment Jadia walked into the room. She had a disinterested look in her eyes so Annie and Ben thought they had dodged a blaster bolt and she hadn't heard anything. More importantly she didn't even acknowledge them as she walked past. But that wasn't actually unusual since she didn't seem to care one way or another for either of them. When she had left, Ben gave her five minutes of a head start before following.

Shortly after leaving the rebel compound Jadia knew she was being followed. She didn't intend to be gone long and was actually going to check on Naasha's ship this time. The fact that one of Lux's friends followed her confirmed that they didn't trust her and were suspicious that she was up to something. When Ben saw where she had gone, he quietly slipped away hoping he hadn't been discovered. An hour later, Jadia made her way back to the compound as well, and upon entering found Lux in a discussion with his friends. When they noticed her, Lux was the first to speak.

"Everything okay with your ship; Ahsoka?"

"Everything's fine. But could I talk to you Lux, in private?"

"Sure, keep figuring out our part of the negotiations, Annie. I'll be back shortly."

As soon as Lux and Jadia were out of earshot the rebels began whispering amongst themselves about what was going on between their leader and his friend. All of them had the feeling that she was hiding some dark secret and Lux was becoming more loyal to her than their mission. Ben had mostly remained silent, but spoke up when Annie mentioned someone following her if she left again.

"Bet I know what she's telling him."

Back in Lux's office, Jadia was putting on an act of being hurt and confused. She paced quietly as Lux watched, waiting for her to speak. When she finally did, there was trepidation in her voice, as if she was afraid that what she had to say would cause a rift in between him and his team.

"I know how important holding your team together and this battle against the Empire for your home planet is Lux. I don't want to cause any problems here."

"You're not causing any problems Ahsoka. They're on edge, understandably. We've been fighting the Empire for a few months now, and there didn't seem to be an end in sight. This is why we have to attempt the negotiations."

"But they still don't trust me."

"I trust you, shouldn't that be enough?"

"I want it to be, I do. But when I left to check on my ship, I was followed by one of your team."

"What?"

"One of them followed me, and I think they were even talking about doing it as I was leaving."

"Who was it? I'll take care of it. They…"

"No…, no Lux. If you confront them it will only cause unnecessary problems. There's a lot riding on these negotiations. We have to keep calm and collected if we're to succeed."

"Alright, but if it happens again, let me know. I don't want them following you and accusing you of something you aren't doing."

Jadia smiled as Lux wrapped her up in a comforting hug. Her plan was succeeding thus far, and she was driving a wedge between the rebels. She had expected to be followed and the next time she left, she was going to make it obvious that she was headed for the Imperial base. But she also had to make sure Lux knew she was going there to inform the Imperials about the request to negotiate. Later that night after the rebels had worked out the offer they were bringing to the Empire, Lux was again in Jadia's quarters. But this time Annie had been performing her security shift and checking the compound. From a hidden corner she watched them go in together and was instantly curious when Lux didn't return to his own room. She knew something was definitely going on between them and quickly rounded up the rest of her team for an emergency meeting.

"Okay Annie, it's late. Why are we meeting now and why isn't Lux here?"

"Because my suspicions were just confirmed. There's something going on between Lux and Ahsoka."

"How do you know?"

"You mean aside from the kiss I witnessed between them Ben? Lux went into her quarters while I was performing my security sweep, and didn't come back out. The only thing I know for sure is that they're sleeping together. Beyond that, it's hard to say."

"It is cause to be suspicious. This obviously goes beyond them just being old friends. We need to keep an eye on the both of them from now on."

"I agree, trusting Ahsoka has become a liability. But Lux, we need to at least give him the benefit of the doubt."

"That's actually a good call, Tahiri. What if we do or say something that causes this to fall apart. We'll have nothing to help us if the Imperials don't agree to negotiations."

"So it's settled, we keep a watchful eye on the both of them, and do our best to keep Ahsoka from discovering that we're following her when she leaves."

"I can't follow her again. Even if she didn't catch me the first time, she might do so a second time."

"That's why I'll follow her next Ben."

"You sure you're up for it Tahiri?"

"I was a spy for the Republic. I can manage."

"Good, let's get some sleep. We don't know what tomorrow will bring."

The next day, the rebels went about their daily tasks. Lux and Jadia were together as everyone expected them to be, but this time she didn't leave. She sat in on the entire discussion of the negotiations and even gave her input when it was necessary. Annie, Ben and Tahiri became more suspicious of this, thinking that she might know what they're planning on their own time. But Jadia remained professional, and only looked at them when they had a question for her. The next day passed in much the same way, new discussions occurring and the finalization of the planned negotiations. That night, as Lux and Jadia retired to her quarters, the couple spent most of the night talking, she wasn't surprised how easy a routine it had become for her, waiting for him to fall asleep and entering his mind, convincing him of whatever she wanted him to believe. So this staying awake and talking was an occurrence she hadn't expected.

"Ahsoka, I've been thinking."

"That's never a good sign."

"Hmm, but hear me out. It's only been five days that you've been here, and you've already provided more expertise in our fight than I have in months."

"Well, I do have more experience in war than you do."

"Of course, but I keep going back to what we talked about."

"We've talked about a lot; you're going to have to be more specific."

"About us, you know, a relationship. And I was thinking, why can't we have both? We can attempt to negotiate, and if that fails, we can free Onderon. But I want to make whatever this is between us work."

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that Lux. I want to make this work too. I've been here these past two days helping plan out the discussions, but tomorrow it I'll have to put the plan in motion."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to have to meet with the Imperials. I was able to secure a neutral location for the talks to take place, but we have to be sure they're willing to talk. I have to be the one who does this."

"Why?"

"Because I have the best chance of defending myself if things don't go well."

"Can't argue against that. Then we should get some sleep. Night 'Soka."

"Good night Lux."

Jadia knew she was in the final stages of convincing to Lux join the Imperials. This last night would be her final push into his mind. When he was asleep she pushed the hardest she could and showed him violent imagery of the Rebellion orbiting Onderon and attacking the planet mercilessly. She forced him to hear the screams of his people dying. Next she showed him the Imperial Navy arriving, providing much needed assistance to his beleaguered planet, routing the rebels and helping rebuild from the destruction. This is when he started thrashing against the nightmares. The last time this happened he woke up, but she was able to keep him asleep as she continued assaulting his thoughts. When she could feel that he'd almost had enough, she pushed one more image at him, a vision of Saw pointing a blaster pistol at him, ready to take the shot. Then she let him wake up, sweat was pouring down his face, but she pretended to be asleep and he didn't want to wake her, so he silently slipped out of the bed and back towards his own quarters to make use of his own fresher with a quick shower. She took on the same sadistic smile when she felt him leave her room, and fell asleep, waiting for dawn.


	5. Unexpected departure

The next morning Jadia was preparing to make her last trip to the Imperial Base to disclose her final instructions on the planned false negotiations. She was nearly there when her communicator alerted her to an incoming message. The communique was short, and directed her to return to the cargo shuttle for her instructions. When she arrived, she immediately activated the holopad, bringing up an image of Naasha.

"Jadia, I regret to inform you that the Emperor has once again made contact. He feels that your time would be better spent on other endeavors useful to the Empire. He understands your mission, and your desire to crush Lux Bonteri. However, he has ordered me to tell you that your presence is needed elsewhere."

Jadia paused the message, her fury rising at being so close and now being called away for another assignment. In the skies of above Onderon, Darth Vader could feel her rage burning like the fires of Mustafar. But she still had no idea he was there. He too felt the same fury; Lux would have been a great asset to the Empire, just as Saw Gerrera was a great threat. When her rage had subsided, she resumed playback of the message.

"Emperor Palpatine's instructions were quite clear. We are to set course for the small planet of Raada in the Outer Rim. Empire Day is fast approaching and there are reports of Rebels planning to enact a massive attack on our forces. He also commands that you make contact with him immediately."

Jadia screamed in anger, Raada had tried rebelling against the Empire once before. In her memories, she remembers Ahsoka Tano being there. Going under the assumed name of Ashla, she had led a small band of farmers to attack the Empire. Even though this was derailing her plans for Lux, she looked forward to exacting revenge on the planet. Her anger stilling, she made contact with Naasha.

"I have received your message Commander Celchu. I am returning to the ship immediately. Transmit to Imperial Command; I will make contact with Emperor Palpatine upon my arrival."

"Of course Jadia, our course is already set; we are just awaiting your return."

Naasha's hologram deactivated and Jadia knew she had to inform Lux that she was leaving. She still had to maintain the pretense that she was Ahsoka, and she also knew he would be in conference with his rebel team. Instead of contacting him directly, she left a holomessage on his personal comm device.

"Lux, I know we had plans to meet with the Empire to negotiate peace at the end of this week, but circumstances have arisen that are taking me away from Onderon. The Rebellion has suffered a major setback in their fight. If there was any other way, you know I would stay, but I'm desperately needed right now. I promise I will return as soon as this situation is resolved. Until then, keep fighting for freedom."  
Lux played the message twice after the meeting ended. He was disappointed that Ahsoka was leaving, but if the greater Rebellion needed her, then she needed to be there. Annie on the other hand, was less than supportive as she was allowed to listen to the message. She wasn't surprised that Ahsoka had left, she had expected it since the Togruta had arrived.

"Lux, do you still believe she was going to help us? That we were actually going to negotiate with the Empire?"

"I do. Ahsoka has never lied to me before, and she's never let me down."

"Then I'm sorry, but she has you completely fooled. Ahsoka Tano is not who you think she is."

"What do you mean?"

"Saw came back, he had some interesting news. She fooled us all. Ahsoka…,"

"Ahsoka Tano is dead, Lux."

Saw's voice spoke up from where he had been listening at the door. Neither Lux nor Annie had known he was there until they heard him speak.

"And you know this…how?"

"I followed her, Lux. I followed her directly to the Imperial Base. She's been playing us since she arrived."

"Speculation…that's all you have. Ahsoka…,"

"OPEN YOUR EYES! This Togruta is not now, nor has she ever been Ahsoka Tano! I heard it with my own ears."

After Saw calmed down, he tossed a datapad on Lux's desk. It was already keyed up to a recording of Ahsoka speaking with the Imperial Commander. It was only a partial recording, but there was enough to prove Saw's words.

"Gentlemen, as you are all aware, Emperor Palpatine has sent me here to destroy the Onderon rebels. This is a task you have all failed in spectacularly. As such, I have directly infiltrated the Rebel base and gained their leader's confidence. Even now, Lux Bonteri is attempting to convince his team to negotiate with us. I have no doubts that he will be met with intense resistance from them."

"Of course he will. None of us want to negotiate with Rebel scum. Why would they be any different?"

"Because when I return to the Rebel base, I will convince them that you only want peace. That there will be a cease fire between both parties."

"I don't even think you are capable of that Lady Jadia. And don't try to frighten me with your devotion to the Force. This war will be won by a military strike and only a mili…,"

Jadia cut the officer off with a deadly glare while raising one hand towards him. She was Force choking him to keep him quiet and only went so far as to render him unconscious. When he was out cold, she continued speaking.

"Lux Bonteri is already attempting to convince his team of negotiating a cease fire. The negotiations will take place in one week's time. Over the course of this week, I will be working to convince Bonteri of the evil the Rebellion represents."

"He is idealistic and still young, Milady. How will you do this?"

"The same way I convinced him to consider a negotiation. I've been inside his mind, controlling his thoughts. I can do this with all of the Rebels. When I've finished with them, they will be at each other's throats. By the time they realize what I've done, Lux Bonteri will have committed himself and joined the Empire. He will lead a squadron of Stormtroopers to arrest them."

"So what do you need us to do, Milady?"

"I will be mediating the negotiations as Ahsoka Tano. You and your men will act as if you have never met me Commander. Onderon is just the first step on the path to the destruction of the Rebellion."

When the recording ended, Lux could feel his anger rising. He had trusted Ahsoka…no her name was Jadia, a Sith Lady. She was part of the Empire, and working with them to crush the Rebellion. Her plans had been to use him against his friends and Onderon since she arrived. And the worst part of all was that she had corrupted the memory of the real Ahsoka Tano to do so. While he began planning for her return, Jadia was making contact with the Emperor.

"I have returned to my ship as you command, Master. We are now making our way to Raada."

"Excellent, Lady Jadia. I know your plans for Onderon were left incomplete, but Raada is where I need your forces at the moment."

"I understand Master, but I was near completion of bringing Lux Bonteri into the Empire, he would have destroyed the Rebels at my command if…"

Across the Galaxy, Palpatine sensed Jadia's frustrations and reached out through his projection, force choking her into silence. He only held his grip for a moment, letting her breathe again once she bowed her head to him.

"Onderon is not a threat at present, My Apprentice. And it is true that the planet could be in the coming time. Raada is a pertinent threat. After Ahsoka Tano led the farmers there to Rebellion against my garrison, they have grown bold. So much so that any attempts to reinforce my army are routed in short order."

"What am I to do, Master?"

"There is a girl, one has grown strong with the Rebellion. Reports from my spies indicate that she has killed several of my best troops."

"Then she is indeed a threat to them…but she will not be one to me. What is her name?"

"Her name is Kaeden Larte. More importantly, my spies also suggest that she and her Rebels are receiving assistance from someone in the Senate."

"Then this is an interrogation, not an assassination. My orders are to discover the Rebels defying you in the Senate."

"Yes, my Apprentice. You may use any methods necessary to discover the Rebels in the Senate. Then you will destroy the Raadian rebels. Show them that the Empire will deliver swift justice to those who defy me."

"It will be done, My Lord."

Palpatine deactivated the connection before Jadia could inquire further about Onderon. While she made her way to the bridge of her Star Destroyer, he was making contact with Darth Vader whom he had instructed to remain at the planet.

"Lord Vader, tell me of the Rebellion on Onderon."

"Lady Jadia has destabilized them, Master. She truly believes that Lux Bonteri would join her."

"I am aware."

"But I have sensed something from the planet. Anger, rage…the rebels have learned that Ahsoka Tano is dead, and Lady Jadia was portraying her."

"That is why I have sent her on another mission, Lord Vader. Her attempts were commendable, but…"

"The rebels are now planning an assault on our garrison. Master, I could wipe them out and solidify Imperial control."

"No, I do not want your presence there to be known. Reinforce the Imperial garrison, and send a coded transmission to the nearest rebel fleet. Inform them that the Empire has taken control of the rebel stronghold, and there were no survivors."

Darth Vader knew there was wisdom in Palpatine's instructions. He had felt Jadia's attempts at swaying Lux to join the Empire through their Force bond. He had seen her showing this very image to him and when this plan succeeded he would die, thus cutting her last ties to the Rebellion, and if he survived, she could use this to complete her plan of him joining the Empire. While this plan was unfolding, many parsecs away, Jadia's Star Destroyer has arrived at Raada. As with Onderon, she changed from her Sith Robes into refugee garb and flew Naasha's ship down to the surface. With Ahsoka's memories of the planet, she landed at what was barely a spaceport, and made her way into town.

The walk was just as it had been, though there were more remains of Imperial transports than she remembered. She could tell from her look around that the rebellion had been succeeding here far better than they had on Onderon. Every so often she came across faces Ahsoka knew, and greeted them each in turn. But her path was clear, one house stood far back in the settlement, and as she approached there was a weathered skinned young woman out front, cleaning up the mess left behind from the last battle.

"This would be a lot easier if I had Force abilities like…"

"Like me?"

Jadia was walking out of the setting sun, so the young woman had to shield her eyes as she watched the stranger approach. The voice had sounded familiar, but as far as she knew, Ahsoka had joined the greater rebellion, so she didn't expect to see her standing there looking almost exactly as she did the day she left.

"Hello Kaeden. It's been a long time."

"Ahsoka…?"

"It's me. I'm back."

Kaeden immediately dropped the debris she had been carrying and rushed over to embrace her friend. Ahsoka had helped her, taught her so much when she was last on Raada and in turn it had helped her people defeat the Empire. So she was glad to see the Togruta again, not knowing what would soon be coming to destroy her way of life.

"I should go tell everyone you're here..., Miara will…,"

"That can wait. I've heard news that your rebellion has succeeded in routing the Empire again."

"Thanks to you. If you hadn't helped us the first time, risking your life…"

"Please, I just gave you the knowledge to stand up for yourselves. You all did the real work it took."

"You're still too modest Ahsoka. You did so much more than that. So, how long are you here for?"

"Just a few days. I've come with a message from the leaders of the Rebel Alliance."

"What is it?"

"We'll talk tomorrow. I've come a long way. I could use some rest."

"Of course…I kept your house the same as you left it. Even after moving in, I couldn't change anything."

Jadia did need rest after the long flight from Onderon. She was pleased that nothing had been changed in Ahsoka's house, though Kaeden living there complicated matters slightly. She knew that she would have to be more careful with her actions and not reveal her true identity or her plans. She would bide her time, the Emperor hadn't demanded a quick resolution to this mission, though she was in a hurry to return to Onderon, she knew this situation was more delicate. The next morning when she awoke she was ready to meet with the other rebels, but first encountered Miara eating breakfast in the dining area.

"Ahsoka!"

The girl dropped her fork and ran over to the Togruta as soon as she entered the room. Like Kaeden she had missed her friend and couldn't help but embrace her a little too roughly for Jadia's liking. But the Sith lady had to play along, knowing that if she blew her cover, she would be forced to wipe out the settlement, not learning who was providing them assistance.

"I've missed you too, Miara. You've gotten bigger since I last saw you."

"It's been fourteen years Ahsoka, I couldn't stay young forever."

"So true, but you're still younger than me. I hear you've become quite the Rebellious one now."

"All because of you. You taught us to fight for our home."

"And that's why I've come back."


	6. Subterfuge

Emperor Palpatine had demanded swift justice for the rebels on Raada, but not a swift resolution. Thus Jadia took her time integrating herself into the life of Ahsoka Tano. It was far easier than she had thought it would be and the farmers even welcomed her with open arms. For nearly two weeks spent working and living on the planet. Her eagerness to return to Onderon was still there, but she also trusted that the Emperor would have sent someone to assist the Imperials in her absence. While she adapted to Raada well, being in such close quarters with the rebels sickened her, and she knew it would be so easy to wait until nightfall, cutting each and every one of them down with her lightsabers. This was not her mission, so she continued to bide her time. In the second week, she made her first move against them, while the people set about their daily tasks.

"Commander Celchu, it is time for the first wave of our attack. Send the TIE bombers down to bombard the surface. I want the rebels screaming and running for safety."  
"Of course Admiral, our pilots are ready for the order."

"Then give it."

Jadia heard Naasha give the command as she laid back down on her bed. Soon enough she would hear the twin ION engines of her personal pilots entering the atmosphere. She just had to wait for the moment. When it came, she pretended to still be asleep as Kaeden came running in.

"Ahsoka! Ahsoka wake up! We're under attack!"

Jadia instantly sat up in the bed to her friend's screams. Drawing on the Force, she centered herself in her abilities and stretched out with her feelings. She sensed the danger and followed Kaeden out the front door. People were running for cover as the TIES continued their bombardment.

"The Empire. Kaeden, how long has it been since the last attack?"

"A month…maybe a little more. Stormtroopers are one thing…this…,"

"Get to safety. Get everyone to safety. I'll handle this."

"But Ahsoka…"

"GO!"

Jadia strode forward as she watched the bombers begin to exhaust their complement of weaponry. Most of them were already out so they flew back for the stars above, only one was left with one more bomb. The pilot flew to close to the surface before dropping his payload. He didn't hit anything vital, and she knew this was because of her orders. But she reached out with the Force and pulled the fighter down, forcing it to crash. The pilot ejected when he lost control, landing several feet away. With no one to see her, Jadia smiled a sinister grin, as a Jedi she would never have had that power. And this wasn't the first time she repeated the Sith code in her head while reveling in the strength it gave her.

As she approached the pilot, he was still struggling to extricate himself from his seat. When he had, he removed his helmet and instantly recognized the Sith lady. Jadia quickly put a finger to her lips to silence him as the rebels came running over clamoring for his death.

"Kill him Ahsoka! He's an Imperial!"

"No."

"Do it, he'll just call reinforcements if we let him live!"

"No."

"But…"

"Listen to Ahsoka, all of you! If we kill him when he's at our mercy, how are we any better than the Empire!?"

Kaeden had spoken up to silence her friends. Jadia would have been pleased that the woman had taken charge so easily if she wasn't there to end her rebellion. But the rest of the farmers did fall silent, feeling guilty after so quickly calling for a death. As they dispersed, Jadia and Kaeden pulled the man to his feet, intending to lock him up in what could pass for a cell block. When he was secured Jadia stood back while Kaeden began her line of questioning.

"Why did you attack us? The Empire hasn't been here for over a month. Why now?"

The pilot sat there, not speaking. His eyes followed his captor as she paced back and forth. He even spared a glance towards Jadia, wondering how long she would let this go on. He knew from Commander Celchu that this was part of the plan, but he still thought this would end with his death.

"Not going to talk? I spared your life from my fellow rebels. I didn't have to."

"You should have let them kill me; it would have spared whatever torture you have planned."

"I'm not an Imperial soldier. None of us are. Torture is not the way of the Rebellion."

"Why should I believe that? Rebels have killed just as much as the Empire. You think you're any different than us?"

Kaeden turned away; she had killed to free her home from the Imperials who had decimated their farmland, leaving it unable to sustain life for many years. While she regretted the deaths, if they hadn't done it, the Empire would have.

"Ahsoka…, can you…?"

"I can't use my powers like that Kaeden, it's not the Jedi way. Come on, we'll leave him here. Maybe after a few days of captivity he'll talk to us."

"Tell me again how the Rebellion is better than the Empire. You're going to leave me here to starve, thinking I'll talk? It will do you no good."

Kaeden turned back at that point as Jadia departed. There was a fire in her eyes that did nothing to change the beliefs of the Imperial pilot. When she spoke again, there was a hint of regret in her voice, yet another difference between her and her prisoner.

"I never said we were going to leave you to starve. The food may not be the best after the Empire destroyed our farmland, but we're not cruel. You'll be fed; it's more than you would do for us."  
For the next few hours until nightfall the Raadians when about cleaning up the debris from the attack, doing what they could to fortify the rest of their homes. Jadia even helped where she could, using the Force to lift rubble and move it to a safer location. When most of the work was done, they all retired to their homes, the sun long since set. When Jadia sensed the farmers were all asleep, she snuck out of the house and made her way towards where her pilot was imprisoned. She didn't expect to see a guard, blocking the entry.

"It's late; we've had a long day cleaning up. You should go get some sleep."

"Kaeden insisted someone stand guard, Ahsoka. I volunteered to take first watch."

"A good idea, to be sure. I want to speak with the pilot. And it is cold out, at least go get a jacket, keep yourself warm."

"I…I don't know…,"

"Don't worry. He's not going anywhere. If he does, he won't get far."

The guard didn't want to leave, but Ahsoka was a trusted voice in the community, and he wouldn't be gone long so he felt there was no harm in letting her speak to the prisoner. When he was gone, she stepped inside, reverting back from Ahsoka to Jadia.

"Milady, get me out of here."

"Why would I do that?"

"You're going to leave me here? They'll…,"

"The rebels won't torture you. They're weak in that regard. It's why they will lose this war. They're so afraid to do what is necessary."

"So why are you here talking to me? You could wipe out this entire town with just a small fraction of your power."

"I could, but that is not my mission. Emperor Palpatine wants the Rebellion to suffer. That girl is the leader of this group; she has information I need on who has been supplying their efforts. So here is what you're going to do. Tomorrow, when she and I return, you're going to tell her what she wants to know."

"You want me to reveal all of your attack plans? What purpose does that serve? They'll be able to…,"

"You will falsify our attack strategy. Say whatever you have to. When I order the next attack, this pathetic rebellion will be completely caught off guard, and only then will I destroy them."

Jadia stopped speaking at that moment when she sensed the guard returning. He was back in place as she stepped out of the temporary prison. As she was heading back towards the house, he stopped her with one question.

"You get anything from him?"

"Nothing helpful. He still refuses to reveal the Empire's plans for Raada. It's going to be a few long weeks. We'll just have to keep protecting the settlement."

"Good night Ahsoka."

Jadia also bid the guard a good night before continuing on her path back to Kaeden's house. She entered as quietly as she could, but still feigned surprise when she found the woman up and waiting. She had sensed this when she was twenty feet away from the front door.

"You're up awful late, Kaeden."

"So are you. Where did you go?"

"I took a walk, wanted to check on our work. Then I made my way to speak with our prisoner."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"Nothing more than what we got earlier. We'll try again in the morning. You really ought to get some rest."

Kaeden retired to her room while Jadia remained behind. She did her best to stave off sleep, but eventually couldn't keep her eyes open. She had to keep her Star Destroyer from being detected and using her abilities to do that before the attack happened had drained her reserves of energy. This is why she was only able to have a short chance to bring the bomber down. The next morning she awoke, somewhat refreshed, and met with Kaeden who was already prepared to question the pilot.

"You really think he'll talk this time, Ahsoka?"

"I don't know. If he doesn't we won't know when the next attack will be."

"Couldn't you just use the Force to sense how many ships are up there? How many attacks could be coming?"

"I could, if something wasn't blocking me. The Force has been unusually quiet. Rumors have even spread that there is a Sith Lord. He could be up there, and to use the Force in such a way…"

"He would discover you? Would that put us in more danger?"

"It would."

"But you used the Force to bring down the TIE. If this Sith is up there…how did he not…"

"Sense me yesterday? I only used a small amount of my power in that instance. Just enough to take the controls from the pilot. That's how I brought it down."

The walk was a short and the guard was finishing his watch when Kaeden and Jadia walked up. By now the sun was making its trek across the sky and the farmers were continuing to fortify the remaining defenses. When the two women stepped inside, the pilot looked up. He had been fed as Kaeden promised, but he didn't appear to have slept.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

"Yeah, the meat was a little dry and I could have used some water."

Jadia was again standing behind Kaeden, leaning against the wall. She glared at the pilot for his joke. He could tell after she came to him last night that if he continued to behave in this manner, she had no qualms about killing him. With a quick swallow, he turned his attention back towards the other woman.

"If I tell you the timing of the next attacks, will you let me go?"

"When you tell me the timing, I won't throw you to my friends. I'm all that's keeping you alive right now. If you want to stay that way, I suggest you cooperate."

Jadia was again impressed at Kaeden's boldness. She could sense that the threat was empty, but the pilot believed it enough to begin speaking with a resigned sigh.

"Okay, first off, there's a Star Destroyer orbiting your planet. The attack we made was just the first, but I think you already knew that. The next attack is coming in one week's time. The planned target is your water reserves."

"How did you know about those?"

"We've been here for months, studying your settlement. We know exactly where and how to hit this planet to cause the most damage. The first attack was just a warning. You can stop this…all you have to do is surrender."

"Surrender is something we will not do. The Empire can't take more from us than you already have. What else do you know?"

"Attacks are scheduled every week for as long as it takes. Your water reserves, your food supply, all of it will go. When all of your supplies are wiped out, a thousand Stormtroopers will make planet fall. How long do you think you'll last against a trained army?"

"We're done here. Thank you, for your cooperation."

Kaeden exited first, she had to divulge this information to the rest of her friends. Jadia followed shortly after, but not before using a Force choke to kill the pilot. He had done exactly as she asked, and wouldn't be speaking to anyone in case he had a change of heart and decided to defect to the Rebellion. He would be found a few hours later, having died of an apparent heart failure. After the meeting was concluded, Jadia pulled Kaeden aside to suggest a new course of action.

"Kaeden, I admire your courage to fight, I do. But I'd be lying if I said I think this is a battle you can win."

"What would you have us do Ahsoka? We need to show the Empire we won't back down from them. We have to have hope."

"Hope is powerful, but have you contacted the Rebellion for support?"

"We have a week until the next attack. That was my next course of action."

Jadia watched Kaeden walk away to contact her associates in the Rebellion, unaware that the Star Destroyer orbiting above had blocked all communications coming from the planet. The Sith lady knew that no help would be coming, and she had all the time in the world. She almost felt sorry for Kaeden.

"Your rebellion will fall here Kaeden Larte. Hope, just like peace, is the Galaxy's greatest lie."

Jadia slowly turned to walk back to her ship; she had to make contact to order the next attack for two days' time.


	7. Betrayal

Jadia had seen all she needed to on Raada. In these past weeks she had learned just how resourceful and brave these Rebels were; in another life she may have admired their courage. But she was a Sith, and admiring those she has sworn to destroy was against the code. With that in mind she slipped off towards her ship unnoticed, and contacted Naasha.

"Admiral, I take it our first attack was successful?"

"For the most part, it was. Our pilot even lied convincingly to the Rebel leader. She believes the next attack will take place in one week on their water reserves. It was a shame I had to kill him."

"Milady, may I ask you something?"

"Only you have the right to question me, Naasha. What do you want to know?"

"These farmers, are we sure they are as great a threat as the Emperor implies?"

"You aren't losing your nerve, are you?"

"No, Milady, it's just that…,"

"Their deaths will be regrettable Naasha, but they have allied themselves with the Rebellion. Their leader, Kaeden; has made it quite clear that they will continue fighting. They are a threat to the peace the Emperor wants to maintain. Remember, it was a Rebel who killed your father."

"I haven't forgotten. As much as I wish these rebels would listen to reason, it is in memory of my father that I ask you when I should command the next attack."

"In two days, we launch the final attack. As before, my TIE bombers will bombard the surface. The rebels will be caught off guard, and you will send my troopers to follow. We will wipe them out, all of them."

Jadia returned to Kaeden's home after giving the order for the destruction of Raada. In two days she would reveal herself as she crushed the Rebellion. The thought of it filled her with a sadistic joy, knowing that she had played them all for fools. When she returned to Onderon she would continue swaying Lux to abandon the Rebellion and join the Empire. Kaeden was not at the house so she sought her out, eventually finding her in the makeshift communications bunker.

"One week Kaeden, any luck contacting the Rebel Alliance?"

"None, I can't even get a signal. I think the Empire may be blocking all transmissions."

"It's quite likely. I tried raising my Squadron on our secure channel as well. I was met with static."

"Then that means we're on our own. I fear that no help will be coming."

"Maybe…but maybe not. Just because you can't get through right now, that doesn't mean you should stop trying. If we don't have hope, we don't have anything."

As one day ended another began, and the rebels constantly traded shifts trying to make contact with the Alliance. As always, they only got static, and knew the Empire was indeed jamming their signals. But they maintained their hope, and prepared for the next attack they knew would be coming. Jadia knew they were going to fight to the last, and in the early hours of the second day left Kaeden's house and returned to her ship. She didn't even have the slightest regret for what she was about to do. When she docked with her Star Destroyer she immediately went for her quarters and donned her Sith Robes. When she was prepared, she clipped her lightsabers to her belt and left for the bridge.

"Milady, has the time come?"

"Yes, now we show these rebels what swift justice from the Empire looks like. Launch the TIE bombers."

Naasha relayed the order to the pilots in the launch bays. The sun had yet to rise over Raada when the first bombs were dropped. Jadia could sense Kaeden searching for her and smiled. An instant later, she felt the young rebel leader stop searching and give the order to take arms. Through the Force she could feel the rebels doing everything they could to protect themselves and their homes. But Kaeden's feelings burned like a beacon, she actually thought Ahsoka had been killed and become one with the Force. She would soon learn how wrong she was when the Imperial shuttle landed on the surface, the Stormtroopers attacking like an angry flood.

"Milady, we have reports from our Squadron, the supply reserves the Rebels had stockpiled have all been destroyed. Our sensors indicate that they have taken shelter in one building."

"Excellent, they are no doubt preparing for landfall of the Stormtroopers. I can sense they are planning a second assault. Recall the TIES, it is time to end this."

When the last TIE bomber had docked in the hangar bay, Jadia raised her hood and strode forward towards the shuttle. Though she had initially planned to lead the attack herself, Naasha had requested to be included in the attack and donned her own armor. While the Stormtrooper armor was predominantly white, hers was solid black to match Jadia's Sith Robes. This former cargo pilot had completely committed herself to the Empire, and she was ready to take her revenge for the death of her father.

"Commander Celchu, you may give the order."

"With pleasure, Milady. Captain; take us to the planet below."

It was only a matter of ten minutes between the time the shuttle launched from the Star Destroyer's hangar to the time it landed. When it set down, the hatch immediately opened, allowing the Stormtroopers to set foot on the surface. As Jadia had expected, the rebels did attempt a second assault. Though they had learned to defend themselves, they were no match for trained soldiers. One by one they fell, until only a handful of them were left. Kaeden and Miara had survived and were still fighting side by side, there were all of ten rebels left still fighting with them, but they were surrounded. Hope was failing and Jadia took this moment to reveal herself.

A dark swirl of energy surrounded her as she stepped down the ramp out of the shuttle. Her presence was like the oncoming of a violent storm. The Stormtroopers parted for her to walk through them, and even their fear was tangible. The rebels felt an oppressive force pushing at them, but even outnumbered as they now were, they still refused to back down.

"It's the Sith Lord Ahsoka warned me about! Fire everything you have at him!"

Kaeden was still defiant even in the face of defeat and certain death. She screamed the order, knowing that she wouldn't go down without a fight. Blaster fire erupted from the remaining rebels only to be met with a flashing red blade blocking every shot. However, one blast made it past the lightsaber, giving Jadia the opportunity to demonstrate her real power as she raised her other hand, using the Force to deflect it away. The Stormtroopers, being one of the newest units had feared the Sith Lady before, now they were downright terrified at witnessing her use only a fraction of her abilities. When the firing stopped, all before here were frozen in shock, waiting for what comes next.

"What do you want from us? We're just farmers! We're really of very little value to the Empire!"

Kaeden spoke again, still trying to maintain her air of defiance, but her voice cracked a tiny bit, more certain than ever that she was going to die, that Miara was going to die and there was nothing they could do about it.

"You were just farmers, but then you attacked and killed Imperial Stormtroopers fourteen years ago. At every turn you have defied the Emperor, and he was willing to overlook your little insurrection, until he found out you were harboring a Jedi."

The voice that spoke from under the hood as dark and full of unbridled malevolence. She could sense that a lie was coming to protect Ahsoka, a lie that would be hollow in simplicity.

"What Jedi? There have never been any Jedi on Raada! We did this after your Empire destroyed our way of life!"

"Such a blatant lie Kaeden Larte. I know there was a Jedi here. You cannot hide her. I sensed her presence long ago. Where is she?"

"You killed her in one of your aerial strikes! There is no more reason for you to be here!"

"You are wrong; our reasons for being here were to put an end to your insipid rebellion. We have done so. Surrender the Jedi, and I will spare your lives."

"We can't surrender someone who isn't here, so go on. Kill me like you killed Ahsoka Tano!"

With just a thought, Jadia took control of Kaeden and pulled her forward. They were a mere three feet apart, and Kaeden could see the sinister smile and a pair of yellow and red eyes burning with an intense rage. Though she had managed to hide her fear during the entire battle, she would have been shaking if she could move but the Sith had her completely immobilized with the Force.

"You are very courageous Kaeden…you would have made Ahsoka proud, if she had cared about you at all. Perhaps if she wasn't dead, she would have come here to help you again."

"Ahsoka was here…she had been here the past three weeks helping us!"

"Was she? Or did you only see what you wanted to see? Yes, I did kill Ahsoka Tano, but she didn't die here on Raada. She was weak, and I destroyed her on Malachor."

A tear slipped down Kaeden's cheek but she still tried to remain brave in the face of her enemy. Although she was distraught over the death of her friend, she still spat out the question with as much resolve as she could.

"Who are you?"

With a laugh that sounded like death, the Sith lowered her hood, all the while still keeping Kaeden paralyzed under her power. The other rebels were still held at blaster-point and could only stare as the face of their enemy was revealed.

"No…it…you can't be…Ahsoka?"

"Foolish girl, I once may have been Ahsoka Tano, but I was abandoned on Malachor by the very same Rebel Alliance you now fight for. It was there that I learned the true nature of the Force. I have embraced the Dark Side, and I will use it to crush the rest of the Rebellion as easily as I have taken your planet. I am Jadia, Lady of the Sith."

Kaeden could find no more defiance left to continue the battle. Everything she had believed in, the friend she had made years ago had turned on her. Jadia sensed the despair and defeat emanating from the woman, and released her hold. The other rebels too felt defeated, all but one. Kaeden was all Miara had left, and she still had a blaster in hand. Without thinking, she fired. The Sith lady sensed the weapon being discharged, and since she deactivated her lightsaber many minutes ago, once again deflected the blast with a single gesture. As she had done previously, she grabbed hold of Miara with the Force, but this time she was not as kind, reaching a hand out to pull her forward.

"Brave of you, like your sister. But ultimately foolish."

Miara's face was turning red as Jadia choked the life from her. Kaeden cried out in fear as she watched her sister dying. When she tried to grab hold of the Sith's arm, she was met with a glare that said, touch me and I will kill you. She immediately pulled her hand back, instead begging for Miara's life.

"Ahsoka…Jadia…whoever you are, please! My sister has nothing to do with this! I led this rebellion…I'm the one you want! Please…spare my sister!"

"I will spare her…all you have to do is give me the name of the Senator who is supplying you with weapons."

"I don't know!"

Jadia increased the pressure around Miara's neck, causing her breath to now come in ragged coughs. Her face went from red to blue and then a sickly shade of purple as her eyes closed.

"You can save your sister, just tell me what I want to know."

"I told you, I don't know who is supplying the weapons! It's just someone from the Alliance! I didn't even know it was a Senator!"

Jadia could see the fear in Kaeden's eyes as she continued to beg. Her grip on Miara lessened, but only slightly as she diverted a miniscule amount of her attention towards reading Kaeden's thoughts. She searched the memories and found a Rebel pilot dropping weapons off, never giving a name. She could sense that this was the truth, and released them both.

When Miara dropped to the ground, she was still struggling to catch her breath. Kaeden ran over and helped her sister as best as she could. While the sister's did not know the name of the Rebel Senator, they were still valuable as hostages.

"Commander Celchu…,"

"Yes Milady?"

"Put Kaeden and Miara Larte in the shuttle. They still have knowledge that will lead to the destruction of the Rebellion."

"As you command. And the other remaining rebels?"

"Kill them. They are of no further use to us."

Naasha and the pilot escorted Kaeden and Miara into the shuttle as the rest of the Stormtroopers opened fire. The women could hear the screams of their friends, and that sound would be burned into their memories for the rest of their lives. They knew that what was coming for them was far worse than death. Jaida could sense their fear as she followed them into the shuttle, but she had other plans for these rebel women, and if those plans failed, they would long for death. Soon enough, the rest of the Troopers had returned to the shuttle. Raada was abandoned and if the Rebellion returned, all they would find was the dead.

"We are ready, Milady."

"Then we shall return to Onderon."


	8. Ties that bind

The return trip to Onderon was going to take longer than the trip to Raada. The Rebel Alliance had been trying to make contact with the planet but failed to receive a response so they sent a small part of the fleet to investigate. Jadia's Star Destroyer hand run long range scans and detected the five ships preparing for the jump to hyperspace. As such she ordered her crew to alter their course and take the longer route. Though her ship was extremely powerful, second in the fleet only to Darth Vader's she didn't want to risk a battle with five Rebel Alliance ships when they couldn't detect the weaponry that they would be facing. During the journey, she let Naasha direct the crew while she studied Kaeden and Miara.

"You know I could destroy you both with just a thought."

Kaeden looked up, Jadia had been spouting threats of death for what seemed like hours, but she and her sister simply remained silent in their separate cells. They had fought hard for the Rebel Alliance and when it came down to ii, she would welcome death compared to the possible torture they would be facing when they landed on any Imperial world. Torture was not in Jadia's plans, nor was death. She had something far more dangerous planned for them, and she looked forward to just how far she could push them before they broke.

"I read your memories Kaeden. You know I don't really believe that you were left ignorant to the identity of the Rebel Senator. It is only a matter of time before I get the information I want."

"You'll get nothing from me. So go ahead, kill me. Death would be preferable to your empty threats."

"My threats are not empty. You serve a far greater purpose to me alive."

"I don't believe you. All that power and you could kill me anytime you wanted. But you haven't. And I know why."

"Are you so sure? Then enlighten me."

"You can't kill me because you're not evil. Somewhere, deep down, Ahsoka Tano is still alive."

"A foolish sentiment, child. If you truly believe that, then I should show you how she died."

Jadia forcefully invaded Kaeden's mind, showing her an alternate version of her battle on Malachor. The original battle was a fight between Ahsoka and Vader, but the imagery Kaeden was seeing showed her friend arriving with Vader, seemingly on the verge of turning to the Dark Side.

"Skywalker's Apprentice, it is as the Emperor had foreseen. He knew you would seek me out."

"I was beginning to think I knew who you were behind that mask. But it's impossible, I see someone far more powerful than my Master could ever have been."

"Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him."

"Skywalker was a fool. The Jedi held him back, kept him from fulfilling his destiny. This was the same thing they did to me. And then they banished me from the Order. I hate them, and I shall have vengeance."  
Ahsoka kneeled before Vader, bowing her head in reverence to the Sith Lord. She had sought him out in the belief that by learning the Dark Side she could become more powerful. As she remained in this position, he could feel her rage and hatred emanating from her body, turning her into a conduit for the dark energies of the Sith temple.

"Lord Vader, I pledge myself to your teachings. Show me the power of the Dark Side."

"You are strong in the Force, my Apprentice. You have the ability to become a powerful Sith. You know why I have come to Malachor?"

"I do, Master."

"My Inquisitors were sent ahead to retrieve the Sith Holocron before Maul can steal it. Only one of them remains alive. He is coming. If you truly wish to become Sith, you must kill him."

"He will die, Master."

Vader stepped back as the Inquisitor entered the main chamber where the Sith Holocron was in its final resting place where it has been for millennia. Ahsoka was still there kneeling, she had yet to rise but when she sensed the presence of her new enemy, she slowly stood.

"The Apprentice, this is as I was told. Lord Vader said you would attempt to retrieve the Holocron. I see my ultimate victory is at hand. I will retrieve it and bring him your head. Then he will name me his Apprentice."  
Looking up, Ahsoka's blue eyes burned with fire and rage. She had come far across the Galaxy in search of Darth Vader, and she was determined to join him. There was no way she was going to let someone weaker than her claim the title only she deserved.

Kaeden could only watch as the battle commenced. Two silver lightsabers clashed with a double bladed crimson one. The swordplay she witnessed was fierce and motivated by anger. Neither combatant would give up ground as they battled back and forth across the main chamber of the temple. After what seemed like hours, the Inquisitor began to falter. He was realizing he was facing a far superior enemy and attempted to flee. Ahsoka sensed that he would try, and deactivated one of her weapons, then raised a hand. One simple gesture activated the kill switch on his weapon and he began to fall. Just before he hit the ground, she stopped him in mid-air.

"You are not worthy of the title of Sith Lord. Lord Vader used you to show me the true nature of the Force."

Without another word, Ahsoka pulled her enemy forward as Vader returned from the shadows. He had watched the battle, and knew there would only be one outcome. Ahsoka had proven herself to be strong in the Dark Side, and he clapped as she ran her lightsaber through the Inquisitor's heart. His body convulsed three times as his life force was released from the physical realm, to be entombed in the Sith temple for eternity. When she sensed that he was dead, Ahsoka deactivated her weapon, letting his body fall to the dirt at her feet. With one last act of disdain for her enemy, she kicked his body as she stepped across it and once again kneeled before her Master.

"You have done well, my Apprentice. The Dark Side has empowered you. Can you feel the strength it grants you?"

"I do, my Master."

"Excellent, you shall stand at my side and the Rebellion will fall. Together, we will make the Galaxy burn. Henceforth, you shall be known as Lady Jadia. Rise."

"Thank you, Master."

The newly christened Sith lady looked up as she stood. Her eyes were no longer the clear blue they had been, but were now yellow and red. A sinister smile crossed her features as she took her place at Vader's side. As she stood there, he spoke again.

"You can hear it, can't you? Thousands of Sith who have gone before you. You can hear them reciting our code. Speak the words, Jadia."

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me."

Kaeden fainted as Jadia withdrew from her mind. The darkness the Sith Lady had shown her, and the death of her friend caused her a deep trauma. She was now slumped in her chair, taking shallow breaths as Jadia turned towards Miara.

"What did you do to my sister?"

"I showed her the truth, young one. She now understands how Ahsoka Tano died. The events she witnessed will be burned into her memory forever."

"And now you're going to do the same thing to me?"

"No, I have something far better planned for you. You will come with me."

"I refuse."

"You have no choice."

Jadia released the lock of Miara's cell door and once again violently took control of her body with the Force. Though she wasn't being Force choked, the young woman was unable to move and levitated behind her captor to another room. Her eyes widened in fear at the sight of the only furniture in her field of vision. The chair was in the direct center of the room, standing in a vertical position. There were metals bands to restrain anyone who was placed in it, bands that no doubt served a dual purpose. One to keep the person from escaping, and two, to keep them from being hurt.

"You're going to interrogate and torture me, aren't you? Kaeden already told you I didn't know anything!"

A sinister laugh burst free from Jadia's lips. It was short in duration but it lasted long enough to send tremors up and down Miara's spine.

"No child, I already know that you know nothing of your benefactor in the Rebellion. I have no plans to interrogate you further, or torture you for that matter. This room is for your reeducation."

Two Stormtroopers took hold of Miara's arms and dragged her to the chair, strapping her in. When she was secure they exited, knowing that no one was to witness what Jadia was about to do.

"I wish I had been informed of this room when I took command of this ship. But no matter, I have access to it now. When I'm done with you, you will only remember your name."

Jadia started with a gently nudge, pushing her consciousness into Miara's mind. She didn't want to enter too forcefully to begin with, knowing it could destroy the young woman. But as she tried to make her way further in, she felt walls going up. It was a surprise to the Sith that she hadn't expected. Miara had a small amount of Force sensitivity. Every time she tried to work her way in, she encountered another wall of resistance. Eventually, she had to back out.

"You are shielding your thoughts from me; Miara. I am impressed. But you are not strong enough in the Force to keep me out."  
Hope briefly crossed Miara's features when she learned what she had been able to do. However, her hope soon turned to pain as Jadia placed both her hands on opposite sides of her prisoner's head, and this time forced her way in.

"Such hope…such a belief in the rebellion…"

Miara let out a blood curdling scream as Jadia assaulted her memories. A twist here, a push there, and everything she thought she was with the Alliance was being erased and replaced with memories of serving the Empire. Hours passed this way, and Miara convulsed under the strain she was feeling, but she was still strapped into the chair. Eventually she passed out, and Jadia withdrew to wait. Her wait would be a short one as Miara's untrained affinity for the Force woke her up after half an hour. She tried to move, but still found herself strapped down.

"Where…where am I?"

"Relax Miara, you're safe."

"Who are you?"

"Confusion is understandable. Give it time; your memories will come back to you."

Miara looked around as best she could, her eyes trying to place anything familiar but she was still drawing a blank until she settled her gaze on the Togruta sitting in front of her.

"I know you…,"

"Yes; you've known me for five years now. Just take it easy."

"I'm aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer…,"

"Good, you've served on board for three weeks. But we met long before that."

"I remember the Imperial Academy…scoring highest in my class despite being the only girl…"

"A rare feat…, go on…"

"I met you when I graduated. You were the first to congratulate me. Then I was sent to train under…, I can't remember his name."

"That's okay, but you remember me, so that's a start. Let's try something a little more in depth. State your name and rank."

"Corporal Miara Larte…, Imperial Guard to Lady Jadia."

"Your memories are returning faster than I thought. Do you remember where you've been?"

"My home planet of Raada. I was…"

"This is the hardest part for me to tell you Miara. You had been captured on an undercover mission to Raada. The rebels there…they tortured you, used some form of mind control to convince you were part of the Rebellion. That's why I had to secure you in here. You were getting quite violent."

"You used your power with the Force to help me?"

"There was no other way. I'm sorry, because I know it was painful."

"I can deal with the pain if it got me my real life back. Thank you. But I have this feeling…, I'm still missing something…something I want to remember…she…"

"Who…who is it?"

"My sister! Kaeden…where is she? She was with me on Raada!"

"Good, you remember her as well. I was worried that…"

"Of course I remember my sister. She's all I had! Jadia…please…please tell me you saved her too!"

"I saved her too. She's here, and just like you was captured by the Rebellion when they found out you were Imperial Spies. I'd say I can't imagine what they did to you, but I saw it all in your memories. You were lucky there was no permanent brain damage."

"Have you freed her from their control yet?"

"Not yet, she was even more violent than you. She's still locked up for her protection. She doesn't believe I'm telling the truth when I speak of her service to the Empire."

"What can I do? Tell me and I'll do it."

"You have to go to her, bring her back here to me. She'll trust you and then I can help her like I helped you."

After being released from the chair, Jadia took Miara to her quarters where a fresher and her Imperial uniform were waiting. After she was ready, she went to the detention block, where Kaeden was just waking up.

"Kaeden…,"

"Miara! How did you escape? Why are you wearing an Imperial uniform? Did you get past Jadia and the…,"

"Quiet, I'm going to get you out of here. Don't worry. I've got a plan."

Miara opened the cell door and helped her sister regain her feet. She was still disoriented from Jadia being in her mind, but soon regained her balance.

"Which way to the escape pods. The Star Destroyer has to have some…,"

Miara's silence was confusing Kaeden. She was walking side by side with her, but she seemed to only stare straight ahead. Even her eyes seemed to be devoid of any emotion. Kaeden knew something was wrong, but they had just been attacked, captured and both possibly tortured by the Sith and Empire. It was when they turned towards a room that wouldn't lead to escape that her feelings of dread intensified. Then she saw her.

"Welcome Kaeden. I'm pleased to see you weren't harmed when I showed you the death of Ahsoka Tano."

"YOU! What have you done…, Miara…?"

"I'm sorry Kaeden. I really am, but Lady Jadia can help you. She helped me."

"She turned you into one her Imperial drones! How is that helping you?"

"She showed me the truth. The Rebellion lied to us, did something…we've been serving the Empire…you for seven years…me for five."

"She lied to you…, the Rebellion…"

Instantly the two Stormtroopers were there again. They took hold of Kaeden's arms as she struggled and pushed her forcefully into the chair. She landed a good punch to one of them before Jadia blocked her escape attempt with one hand, allowing the soldiers to strap her down.

"Trust me Kaeden, this is for your own good."

Rage burned in her eyes as she stared at Jadia and Miara in turn. She couldn't imagine what her sister went through, but she had a feeling she was going to experience the same thing. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she knew there was no more hope.

"Miara, this isn't going to be pleasant. I suggest you accompany the Stormtroopers outside and then return to your quarters. I will bring your sister when she is freed from the Rebellion's control."

"Yes Milady."

Jadia turned towards Kaeden when her sister and the troopers were gone. She had adopted a sinister smile as she stepped forward. Rage was still behind Kaeden's eyes as she spit in the Sith Lady's face.

"Fight all you want. It will only make the process more painful."

Like she did with Miara, Jadia placed a hand on either side of Kaeden's head. But this time she didn't go about the process gently. She pushed her way in right towards where everything Kaeden believed was at the core of her being. Her scream was even louder than Miara's had been and the process took twice as long. Where Miara woke half an hour later, Kaeden took more than an hour. But with no force sensitivity she was more susceptible to the new memories Jadia had placed in her mind. When her eyes opened, her gaze was just as blank and emotionless as her sister's had been. Thus, Jadia didn't even try to ease her into remembering her life. She only asked a question.

"You're awake. Excellent. Name and Rank. Who are you?"

"Lieutenant Kaeden Larte. Imperial guard in service to Lady Jadia of the Sith Order."

Jadia had completed her task successfully and now had three women completely devoted to her service and the Empire. She knew Kaeden was no longer a threat and released her bonds, allowing her to step down from the restraining chair. She had been restrained for hours and so had to massage her arms and legs to regain circulation, but when she did, she looked up at Jadia and her smile matched and was as sinister as that of the Sith Lady.

"Lieutenant Larte; welcome home. The rebellion can no longer hurt you or your sister."

"I am glad to be back, Milady. But I would like to remove these rebel clothes they forced me into. Nothing would feel better at this moment than my Imperial uniform."

"You have been away for some time. I will escort you to your quarters. Then you can have your long awaited reunion with your sister."

"Thank you, Milady."


	9. Hope's nightmare

After corrupting Kaeden and Miara into becoming her loyal Imperial Guard; Jadia allowed them their reunion. Both women were now dressed in the same type of black Imperial uniform as Naasha. The difference being that they wore E-11A blaster pistols on their right and left hips. As the personal guard to the Sith Lady, they were to be armed at all times. While Jadia could easily kill the entire crew, the sisters would soon accompany her everywhere, and stood behind her command chair on the bridge. Both of them retained the cold emotionless glare they had adopted since having their entire lives altered by the Sith Lady. While they were still on course for Onderon, Jadia was drumming her fingers on the armrest of her chair. She had now been in command of this Star Destroyer for more than a month, and had yet to learn the vessel's name. She had no doubts it was something chosen by the Captain she had replaced with Naasha, so she knew the name should be something more suited to her position as an apprentice to Lord Vader.

"Commander Celchu…,"

"Yes Milady?"

"Our vessel, I believe it needs a fitting name to strike true fear in the Rebellion. I care not what it was known as before. But it is my personal weapon, and I intend to use it to snuff the hope out of every last rebel in the galaxy. My Master; Lord Vader's ship is feared to the point that the Rebels flee at first sight of it. My vessel should be the one they don't expect, it should be in their nightmares."  
In that moment Jadia stopped drumming her fingers, and her eyes brightened when she realized what the new name of her Star Destroyer would be. It was intricate yet simple in the terror it would bring. As she rolled the name silently around her tongue and in her mind, she knew it was perfect.

"Naasha…I want you to transmit to Emperor Palpatine and Imperial Navy Command. Inform them that our transponder signal must be updated."

"Our call sign, Milady?"

"Hope's Nightmare."

From the command chair, only Naasha, Kaeden and Miara heard the name. Jadia was aware that the Captain would be displeased that she had chosen to rename what he still thought of as his vessel, but if the Emperor accepted the new moniker, he would have to respect that. Behind Jadia, Kaeden and Miara assessed the name, and both immediately found it fitting. Knowing what the Rebellion had done to them, they looked forward to crushing the hope out of any rebel who got in their way. Their anger was tangible to the Sith Lady sitting in front of them, she could feel it. She knew when the time came upon their arrival at Onderon nothing would stand in their way as they helped her destroy Lux's rebels.

"Kaeden, Miara you know I can feel your anger and hatred for the Rebellion."

"Yes Milady, are we distressing you?"

"On the contrary Kaeden, if you were Force sensitive I would encourage you to embrace your anger, it would give you power far beyond any you have ever experienced."

"This is what you felt when you killed Ahsoka Tano and joined Lord Vader?"

"It was. I took great pleasure in killing that weak Jedi. She had been my friend once, until her order betrayed me and sent her to arrest me for a crime I didn't commit. She stood against me when I was banished, her and her Master Skywalker. That was when I began to embrace the Dark Side, but it was Lord Vader who saved me during Order 66. That was the day I truly became a Sith."

Jadia knew she was still lying to Kaeden, but she didn't care. Her only goal was to keep her loyal to the Empire. The Sith way has always been one of betrayal and her plans for the future were to ultimately betray Vader, taking his place at Palpatine's side. She was reveling in the thought of becoming the second most powerful Sith in the Galaxy when the ship dropped out of hyperspace.

"Milady, we have reached Onderon. The Rebels have not detected our vessel. Shall I have our Stormtroopers prepare a landing party?"

"No Commander Celchu, this is a mission I do not trust them to accomplish. Only you, Lieutenant and Corporal Larte shall accompany me to the surface. An army would only cause the Rebels to fight. We must gain their confidence if my plan is to succeed. We must dress in the manner of refugees. Lux Bonteri still believes that I am his friend Ahsoka. He must continue to do so until I corrupt him into joining the Empire."

Naasha, Kaeden and Miara followed Jadia from the bridge and departed for their separate quarters. After thirty minutes they were all dressed in similar fashion, all looking as if they were rebels just returning from a battle with the Empire. Their clothes sported several tears and blood stains from the fight. Naasha had her E11 blaster rifle strapped to her belt, while Kaeden and Miara each only carried one of their blasters. And Jadia was wearing the clothes she had worn from her first landing on Onderon, but this time she did carry her lightsabers with her. The trip to the surface in Naasha's cargo ship was not a smooth one, and when they landed near the rebel base, nothing could have prepared them for what they saw.

"Milady, I think we might be too late. This is the rebel base you infiltrated?"

"It was, this is what's left of it, Naasha."

Blaster marks scorched the walls, the patterns indicating both A-Wings and X-Wings. From the amount of rubble surrounding the base, it was a miracle the whole structure hadn't collapsed on itself. The foursome tentatively made their way forward. Kaeden, Miara and Naasha had drawn their blasters to protect Jadia should anyone be left alive and attempt to kill her. When they found an entry point, the Sith Lady delved into her powers to keep the structure standing.

"Naasha, find a terminal. See if you can access the files. I want to know what happened here."

"Right away, Milady."

While Naasha set about beginning her task, the sound of boots outside caught the attention of Kaeden and Miara. On instinct, they both took cover while Jadia masked her presence in the Force, simultaneously stretching out to learn the identity of the intruders. She was wary at first, thinking some of the Rebels had survived, but soon enough felt that these men were not their enemies. They were Stormtroopers.

"Kaeden, Miara…stay alert. Our guests are not rebels. They're Stormtroopers. They could be here for the same reason we are, but don't let your guard down."

The sisters nodded in response to their orders and took up flanking positions next to Jadia. She placed her hands down next to her lightsabers in case this did turn into a battle. But when the troopers entered the remains they instantly were at ease when they saw Jadia.

"Lady Jadia, we had been informed that you returned. Our Commander detected your Star Destroyer as it came into orbit."

"Good, at least your long range scanners are still functional. However, I am displeased. I gave your Commander strict orders not to attack this Rebel base with approval from me. Know that any of you involved in this attack will suffer the consequences."

"Milady, we were not responsible for this attack. We have only been scouting the remains daily in search of survivors."

"Then who was responsible? What kind of firepower did they have to cause such destruction?"

"The Rebel Alliance, Milady."

Naasha had returned after getting a terminal partially working. The recordings had been damaged but she was able to recover just enough to hear Red and Gold Squadron pilots on their comms, coordinating the strafing runs.

"Commander Celchu…what did you find?"

"This was a Rebel attack on a rebel base. There can be no mistaking it. From what I recovered, I hear someone called Saw berating the pilots for attacking and demanding they withdraw."

"Saw Gerrera, no doubt they probably didn't believe him."

"No, because according to the rest of the fragmented recording, the Rebels believed the Empire had captured the base and killed all who were here."

This news angered Jadia and her eyes flashed blood red as she turned back towards the troopers. With her rage threatening to explode, she grabbed one with a Force choke while speaking to the other.

"These rebels were to be my mission. Lux Bonteri was to join my side in the Empire after I convinced him of the evils of the Rebellion. He was going to lead you here to destroy his former friends. Who was responsible for this?"

"We don't know Milady. All we could discover was that the Rebel fleet was sent a coded transmission about the Empire taking control of the base. All we've done is recover the survivor."

"I hope for your sake, you're telling me the truth."

"We are!"

Jadia's anger was still like a tidal wave. The trooper she had choked had fallen unconscious as she dropped him and turned her full attention to the other one. With both hands free she let loose with a violent barrage of force lightning. The electricity knocked him to the ground and caused him to writhe in pain until she let the power dissipate.

While the trooper continued to convulse, she reached out with her power into space itself. She didn't yet know what she was looking for, but would know it when she found it. As she continued to search for the reasons behind two rebel squadrons attacking their own, she felt the presence that had sent the coded message. His force signature was so powerful she knew only one person could have done this.

"Master…?"

Though Darth Vader was her Master, and she had to obey him as his Apprentice, she still felt betrayed when she realized he had been there and blocked her from sensing him. She had accepted his teachings and joined the Dark Side without hesitation when he showed her how powerful she could become. She had sworn her loyalty to him, the Empire, and he had promised her they would one day rule the Galaxy together. Her thoughts were a torrent of emotion as the trooper she had struck with force lighting recovered just enough to speak.

"Milady, as I said, there was one survivor we found."

"Who?"

"Lux Bonteri. Somehow he had taken shelter during the last remnants of the attack. He was badly wounded, but we took him back to base and placed him in a bacta tank."

"You will take me to him."

The troopers acquiesced and led Jadia and her guards to the waiting transport. As they left the structure, a recording was still playing on a loop. A small contingent of Rebel troops had landed on the planet to check for Imperial survivors and only found a severely wounded Saw. There were no remains of Annie, Ben or Tahiri, and Lux was nowhere in sight. When the sound of an Imperial transport echoed over the landscape, they could tell by the sound of the engine they were thirty clicks away, and closing fast. The rebels had to be careful not to injure Saw further and moved as quickly as they could to get their shuttle off the ground before they were caught.

Jadia was still fuming in anger as the transport reached the Imperial base. She could tell that Kaeden and Miara were furious as well as they had hoped for a battle with the Rebels. Vengeance was still very much on their minds as they disembarked from the transport. Inside the base, the Imperial Commander rushed to greet his guests, and was met with a violent Force push from the Sith Lady as she sensed Lux's presence.

"Naasha, Kaeden, Miara. Stay here and keep an eye on these troopers. They are not to disturb me as I see to Lux. If they move, you may kill them."

Jadia's three guards immediately pointed their weapons at the troopers sitting on the floor. They feared they would be shot if they tried anything, but knew it was better than dying at the hands of the Sith. She would do far worse. Silently walking down the corridors, she followed Lux's life force before coming to the room where she could feel his presence like a beacon. With a wave of her hand the door opened and she could see him still in the bacta tank.

"Lux…your vitals are weak. You may have survived the attack by your fellow rebels, and I had such plans for you. Sadly, you are no longer capable of serving my purpose. In the end, your friends did betray you, and have left you here to die."

Jadia turned away from the tank and didn't spare a second thought for Ahsoka Tano's friend. She didn't even look back as she made a small gesture, deactivating the machine keeping him alive. The alarms on the tank started to sound as she returned towards the main entrance, stalking past the Stormtroopers and exiting the building. Kaeden, Miara and Naasha knew that they were done here and followed her back to the cargo ship. When they were gone; the base Commander rushed back to the medical wing where a 2-1B droid had reactivated Lux's tank. The plan was to get him to a full recovery and then ship him off to the Spice mines of Kessel.

Back on Hope's Nightmare, Jadia ordered Naasha to take command and left Kaeden and Miara to stand guard over her on the bridge. The Sith Lady still despised the crew of her vessel and leaving her loyal guards prevented any of the greedy Imperial soldiers from betraying her as she went to meditate in her quarters. Her last order before departing the bridge had been to set course for Coruscant. The journey would be long from the Outer Rim to the Core, and she hoped meditation would help focus her anger.

"There had better be a good answer for your actions, Master. Onderon was to be my conquest."


	10. Master and apprentice

By the time her Star Destroyer had entered Coruscant's space lanes, Jadia's fury at the events on Onderon had intensified. She didn't yet know what she was going to do upon confronting her Master, but at the very least she wanted answers as to why he had been there at all. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, he had followed her to make sure she wasn't going to be swayed back to the Rebellion given Ahsoka's history with Lux. Or perhaps Palpatine did not have as much faith in her as he had indicated. These were the two thoughts she kept coming back to out of all of them. Whatever the reason was, she wasn't leaving until she knew. Before departing with Kaeden, Miara and Naasha, she gave strict orders to the crew to be prepared for her return. Their stay at the Imperial Capitol was to be brief in duration.

"MASTER!"

Jadia screamed as she used the Force to rip the door to Emperor's Palpatine's throne room open. Her body was shaking in rage, she had let her passion take full control and she followed up her actions with the door by violently throwing the Emperor's guards across the room with a small flick of her wrists. More guards came to take the place of their fallen comrades but she continued to dispatch them with ease. Emboldened by what they witnessed, Naasha, Kaeden and Miara had their blasters in hand, ready to protect Jadia at all costs. Stormtroopers kept attempting to stop the Sith Lady but were met with stun shots before they could even get to her. When she finally reached Palpatine's throne, she could sense he was preparing to attack, and blocked his barrage of Force lighting with one lightsaber, deflecting it into the wall on her left.

"Do not attack me again, I have come for answers."

Palpatine adopted a sinister smile at Jadia when she spoke. He was impressed that she would attempt a blatant attack considering he could kill her with a thought. He knew her powers would increase the longer she stayed on the Dark Side of the Force, but he hadn't expected her to adapt this quickly.

"Such arrogance in your voice, Lady Jadia. Your anger has truly made you powerful. I presume you now truly understand why the Jedi fell. To rely only on the passive nature of the Force is to invite yourself to oblivion."

"My first lesson my Lord; is that the Jedi were weak in denying their emotions at all. Life means nothing without passion. Anger can be the most powerful weapon of all if you embrace it. This is why the Sith will dominate the Galaxy for the next thousand years and the Jedi will be nothing more than a fading legend."

At this point Palpatine had expected Jadia to remember her place as the Apprentice while he was the Grand Master of the Sith Order. He expected her and her guards to kneel at his feet. The four of them made no moves to do so, and his anger grew at their disobedience.

"Lady Jadia, when I received word of you bringing these women into your service, even from here, I could have stopped you. I allowed you this indulgence. I sensed that despite these sisters initially being corrupted to serve the Rebellion, it was with pride that I sensed you free them and bring them back to the Empire. But make no mistake; I will no longer tolerate your insubordination. You and your guards wills kneel."

"We will not. I have come for answers. Onderon was to be mine. You sent me to Raada with your assurances that once I decimated the Rebellion there; I would be allowed to continue corrupting Lux Bonteri into my service."

"You are a Sith, my Apprentice. You have sworn your allegiance to me. Do not think I did not know of Ahsoka's Tano's feelings for Bonteri. In time, he would have made you question your place as a Sith. I could not allow that."

In that instant, Jadia knew that the Emperor had no faith in the oath she had sworn to him. He believed she could be corrupted to the Rebellion despite the Sith Code being the way of life she had accepted as her path since Malachor. It took only a moment for her rage to explode and she charged the throne, her twin lightsabers flashing in a deadly dance of crimson, intending to strike him down. Before she could make the fatal strike, another red lightsaber ignited, halting her progress.

"Master…do not stop me. Think about what you are doing. I can destroy the Emperor, here and now. You can rule the Galaxy with me by your side. Together no Rebel will stand against us. Under Palpatine's rule, the Rebellion will continue to flourish, and the Empire will fall. If we work together…"

Jadia was cut off as Vader began his attack. While her words had tempted him, he had his own plans to overthrow Palpatine, and he needed her to stand by his side when the time came. Now was not that time, and if he didn't stop her, Palpatine would kill her. He didn't want to have to begin this process with a new Apprentice. Jadia was far too powerful to let his Master destroy her.

"You are unwise to attack Darth Sidious, Lady Jadia. Remember he was the one who engineered the fall of the Republic and the destruction of the Jedi. You would be wise to cease this pointless insurrection."

Vader's words only served to make her fight harder. She struck out at her Master with a ferocity matching his. He met her strike for strike. This battle, unlike the one on Malachor would end with one of them dying if he couldn't get her to remember their true enemy. While their lightsabers clashed back and forth in their blood red dance, Palpatine watched and let loose a sinister laugh. Though he could have stopped the battle at any moment, he chose to let it play out, already knowing how it would end.

Jadia did her best to ignore Palpatine's condescending laughter and gave in completely to her rage. She could feel her power amplifying and was able to take the advantage in the battle. Her twin lightsabers now had Vader on the defensive and she was sensing his hesitation in the Force to unleash the full extent of his abilities. For a moment, she even had a glimpse of his injuries from Mustafar, and knew he was relying on the Force to hold his mostly cybernetic body together. Though her rage had made her powerful, it also blinded her.

She thought that this was a weakness for her Master, and failed to see that he was showing her what he wanted her to see. When she attempted to press her advantage one more time, he responded with a new attack. He blocked her dominant lightsaber and reached out, using his power to take her secondary one from her. With two weapons now to her one, he launched a well-placed kick that knocked her to the floor, sending her other lightsaber clattering away. She only had enough time to get to her knees before finding both blades crossed at her neck.

"This is how I destroyed Count Dooku. Properly executed you would be dead now, my Apprentice."

Jadia was angry that she had fallen for her Master's trick, and realized that she still had much to learn of the Dark Side. When he deactivated both lightsabers he stepped back, allowing her to regain her footing. During the battle, Kaeden, Miara and Naasha had kept the Stormtroopers at blaster point, now that it was over they were furious that Jadia had been beaten and quickly turned their weapons on Vader and fired. The attack was more on an annoyance that an actual threat to him, and he stopped the blaster fire with one raised hand. While Jadia was proud of their loyalty, she knew that the punishment for the four of them would soon come, and she turned to face Palpatine, kneeling as she should have before.

"You have learned a valuable lesson here today, Lady Jadia. But you still have much to learn of the Empire. You have hate, and anger, and they will always serve to make you powerful. Just remember who your true Masters are, and when the time comes you will call yourself Empress Jadia."

Jadia looked up from where she knelt. She had expected Palpatine to attack her and her guards with Force lightning. She knew the punishment would have been justified, so when it didn't happen, she was confused.

"You're not going to punish me for my actions, my Lord?"

"There is no need. I sent Lord Vader to Onderon. I gave the order to send a coded message to the Rebellion that the Imperial garrison had wiped out the Rebels. In doing so, Onderon has once again become an Imperial world. And as for Lux Bonteri…"

Palpatine signaled to the two of his Stormtroopers that were closest to the entrance to his throne room. They were the first to be attacked by Jadia and had recovered first. With the signal they quickly departed only to return a few short moments later, dragging an unconscious Lux between them.

"…he was to be transported to the Spice mines of Kessel. I ordered him brought here instead. In his unconscious state, his mind should be easy to bend to your will, Lady Jadia. This is your reward for your loyalty. Erase all his memories of being a Rebel. Make him believe he has long been the Senator for a free and Imperial Onderon."

Jadia bowed her head in acknowledgement. She was being given a second chance to finish her task of corrupting Lux to her side and she would make the most of it. As she stood, she ordered Kaeden and Miara to take Lux to her quarters on Hope's Nightmare. As she turned to leave, Palpatine stopped her with a new mission.

"A moment, Lady Jadia. Though I did send Lord Vader to Onderon to complete your mission, it was through your efforts that both that planet and Raada were returned to their rightful place under Imperial rule. As such, I have a new assignment for your crew. Once you have completed Lux's reeducation and brought him to me to swear his loyalty to the Empire, you will depart for another planet to destroy the rebels undermining the Imperial Garrison."

"What planet needs to feel my power next, my Lord?"

"This is a planet I think you will be quite familiar with, my Apprentice. It is the planet Ahsoka Tano was taken from when she was three years old to be indoctrinated into the Jedi Order. This is her home planet and yours. Lady Jadia, you will subjugate Shili."


End file.
